Amitav Ghosh, while lauding the courage of writers who are returning their awards as mark of protest, stated that he believes it more appropriate to direct the protest against the current leadership of the Sahitya Akademi, rather than against its history as an institution. This is one way of criticising the actions of these writers. One could have a fundamental disagreement with Ghosh’s stance but one can’t say that his comments are not well thought-out or that they lack the nuance that elevates a debate to a higher moral and intellectual plane.
The other way of criticising the writers who are returning their awards has been presented by senior leaders of the RSS. General Secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi has referred to the protests as partisan and has questioned the integrity and the honesty of the writers who are returning their awards. Another RSS official, Sudhir Pathak, has accused the writers of being anti-BJP and anti-RSS and has stated that they have not yet come to terms with the BJP coming to power at the Centre.
You’ve Read Your Free Stories For Now
Sign up and keep reading more stories that matter to you.
Let’s examine this accusation of being partisan. The most obvious question is: why shouldn’t writers, or for that matter, any citizen, be partisan? To be partisan means to have a strong opinion for or against something. As part of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, we all have the right to have an opinion, and to be partisan. Just make sure that while you’re exercising your right, you’re not impinging on somebody else’s freedom to do the same.
And whose rights exactly are these protesting writers trampling upon as they return their awards? Moreover, what Nayantara Sahgal, Uday Prakash, Aman Sethi and other writers are doing is in their individual capacity, not as representatives of any form of institutionalised hegemony. It is only in the latter case that one can say their partisanship is posing a problem. Given all this, nothing should stop writers from displaying their partisanship by protesting against an atmosphere they find to be increasingly stifling.
Of course, these are fine distinctions that the RSS finds easy to gloss over. Perhaps its because sometimes moral authority – as personified by these writers – raises questions that institutionalized authority finds difficult to answer.
Pooja Pillai is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, working with the National Editorial and Opinion section. Her work frequently explores the intersection of society, culture and technology.
Editorial Focus & Expertise
Pooja’s writing spans several key domains, often blending analytical commentary with cultural critique.
Art & Culture: She writes extensively on cinema, books, and the evolving landscape of arts and entertainment.
Technology & Society: Her work examines the human impact of the gig economy, the rise of AI in creative fields, and the cultural shifts driven by digital platforms.
Food & Lifestyle: She often uses food as a lens to explore history and politics, covering everything from the origins of pantry essentials to the impact of nutrition policy.
Politics: She closely tracks political developments in South and West India and provides commentary on international political transitions, including the shifting landscape of American politics.
Multimedia & Podcasting
Pooja is a prominent voice in the Indian Express’s digital ecosystem. She is the host of 'DeshKaal with Yogendra Yadav', weekly video podcast where she facilitates deep-dive conversations on Indian democracy, social movements, and current political affairs.
Notable Recent Works
Cinema & Identity: “SRK@60: Why Shah Rukh Khan is Bollywood's last, and only, superstar” – an analysis of stardom and the changing face of Indian identity
Global Politics: Commentary on the Trump administration’s misguided “war on woke culture” via typography and analysis of the visual semiotics of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attire during successive visits to the White House.
Art & AI: “An unequal music: AI is lowering barriers at the cost of music itself” – a critique of how technology is redefining artistic value.
Professional Presence
Pooja is active on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, where she shares her latest columns and editorial insights.
Her full archive and latest updates can be found on her Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More
