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On whose side are you on the Sahitya Academy Award Row?

By vinodnarayan on October 16, 2015 • ( 2 )

Many Literary figures in India who have won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award are returning their award to show their protest against the silence of the Akademi on the recent incidents of violence on free-thinking literary figures as well as others. They believe the Akademi is not doing enough to speak in these situation. Today I read that a 17 year old award winning writer has also returned her award.

This is not the first time it has happened in India but yes in this scale, it is probably first time. Tagore and Kushwant Singh have done it before and you can if you look find similar protests by others in different part of the world.

But people are divided as some say this is political. Whose side are you on? It is a question so important that our world makes us ask ourselves quite often. Same question should be asked when you hear that many recipients of the prestigious Sahitya Academi Award are returning theirs as protest. One can agree with them or not…

I will just share two quotes One from Mark twain and other from Desmond Tutu if that helps

Mark Twain once said
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”

Desmond Tutu said and this is more to people who play neutral smile emoticon
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

Have a good day, ask questions very importantly to yourself, who knows you might be on a side you do not like… Just ask and answer…

On whose side are you….?