Author: Prof. Tribhuvannath Shukl
Publication: Organiser.org
Date: October 25, 2015

Executive Board member of Sahitya Akademi and also former director of Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi Prof Tribhuvannath Shukla terms the protest by some Sahitya Akademi award winners as insult of the literature. Talking to Senior Correspon-dent of Organiser Pramod Kumar he demands that if they want to return the award they should return it with the amount they have received along with the interests of that amount and also the royalty they have received on their books. Excerpts

Q.: What is your reaction over the return of awards by some writers?
A.: It is nothing but a political stunt. These Marxist writers are indulging in the politics of literature. The incidents of Dadri or killing of a writer some time back are no logics to return the awards. These awards were conferred on them for literature, but now they are insulting the same literature. If they had to return the awards for such reasons they should have done it earlier when more heinous incidents took place. Where were they when Kashmiri Hindus were forced to migrate from the Valley, Sikhs were massacred in 1984, Emergency was imposed in 1975, Salman Rushdie was denied entry at Jaipur Lit. Fest, or the culprits of Bhopal Gas tragedy which claimed the lives of over 15,000 innocent people were given the safe passage to leave the country?

They have earned huge fame and money after getting these prestigious awards. If they have moral courage they should return them with the amount they received with the awards and that too with the interest. They should also return the money they spent on air fare and the amount of royalty they received after translation of their books in different languages after conferring the awards. Apart from it, the names of all such writers should be deleted from the libraries along with their books. Again, there are questions over the fame that they have earned through the Sahitya Akademi. First they manipulate the awards and then they indulge in such piety politics of literature. If they have started the battle, it should not be left unfinished.

Q.: When people like Dabholkar and Pansare were killed there was a Congress government both at the State and the Centre. About Dadri also there is SP government in UP. Then why blame the Centre for it?
A.: All such questions are nagging the sensible people. This is not only dishonestly with literature, but also cheating with the nation.

Q.: Sahitya Akademi is an autonomous body. Then instead of talking to the government why are they targeting the Sahitya Akademi?
A.: Their target is not the Sahitya Akademi but the Central Government. But none of their allegations hold ground.

Q.: They claim freedom of expression is being curbed. What do you think?
A.: Tell me one incident when Freedom of Expression was curbed after the formation of this government at the Centre. Rather, why they have forgotten the Emergency of 1975? Can there be more dangerous curb on Freedom of Expression and Press than that? Rather, this was the same section of Leftist writers who by formally issuing a circular had supported the Emergency. How can the elements who supported Emergency now talk about curb on Freedom of Expression? They have no right. Fact is that they did not deserve such prestigious awards. They manipulated for the awards. Even then if they return the awards, we should welcome it. I would like to appeal to the Sahitya Akademi to pass a proposal ensuring that no Leftist is conferred on the Sahitya Akademi award in future, because they insult the literature. During the Lok Sabha elections the same group of Leftist writers went to the extent of issuing statements saying if Narendra Modi comes to power they will leave the country. A literary person unites the society, but they are dividing.   

— Prof. Tribhuvannath Shukl, President, Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad