Goa writers unite against murderous attacks; plan actions, even at IFFI
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 15 October 2015 18:29 IST
Goa’s national award winners are not returning their respective awards. Instead, the eminent writers have come together to plan out series of actions, including a demonstration at International Film Festival of India next month.
Almost 14 Sahitya Academy Award winners, along with eminent writer and Padmashree awardee Maria Aurora Couto and Goa-based novelist Amitav Ghosh, came together today to jointly condemn the rising trend of intolerance in the country.
“The rising trend of intolerance is threatening freedom of expression and age-old liberal and all-encompassing philosophical traditions of this country,” they said.
Datta Damodar Naik, the Sahitya Academy award recipient said they have withheld their decision to return the awards in view of Sahitya Academi’s incoming Executive Council meeting on 23 October.
SAHITYA ACADEMY MUST CONDEMN
“We demand from Sahitya Academy the official condemnation of the threat to our fundamental rights that is more imperative at this juncture. We are hopeful that the Academy would condemn the cultural Talibanism in the country,” he said.
The writers however said they would not stop at this but would go ahead with organising more effective actions by mobilising others writers, artists and intellectuals under one banner to protest against the ongoing situation in the country.
“We will even organise a big demonstration at IFFI, beginning from 20 November, along with filmmakers, writers and artists at national and international level”, said N Shivdas, who was the first one to announce his intention to return the award.
The writers are also planning to meet the Governor as well as the government authorities to lodge their protest over the increasing incidents of violence against the dissenting voice.
GRAVEYARD OF CREATIVITY?
“We are greatly disturbed by the recent murders of the rationalist intellectuals: Dabholkar, Pansare & Kalburgi followed by the recent lynching of a Muslim over suspected beef eating. The rightwing fanatics have disrupted the music concert and book publication of the Pakistani musician and writer’, said the press note released jointly by the writers.
During the last eighteen months in particular the rabid fundamentalist forces have torn apart composite cultural mosaic of this country. If not contained, they will turn this country into a graveyard of creativity. This will kill scientific temperament and literary and cultural renaissance, ultimately stalling the economic progress of this nation.”
The writers present at the press conference were Nagesh Karmali, Damodar Mauro, Pundalk Naik, N Shivdas, Datta Damodar Naik, Meena Kakodkar, Hema Naik, Dilip Borkar, Prakash Padgaonkar, Arun Sakhardande.
Those who did not attend but supported the cause are Ramesh Veluskar, Gokuldas Prabhu, Mahabaleshwar Sail and Tukaram Shet.
These self proclaimmed intellectuals have never cared to read Indian constitution. Law n order is state subject which they shud first get clarified not from their party''s pettyfloggers but from constitutional lawyers. Dabholkar n kalburgie were murdered in congress run states.only pansare in BJP run state. My request is to bear the state of orphandom for some years and work return of your political masters in Delhi n Goa.
Woke India, Woke-up do we need made in India, than why in tolerance among our brothers and sisters what image are we creating to the world and in what way we invite the whole world in our country India. Government is slow in acting, why can’t government ban group or peoples who disturbed peace and brotherhood among communities. This is a wake-up call to each Indian all over the world.
Be caution/ Be alert/ Be active.