Despite Sheila’s ‘regret’ in letter,writers keep up protest flag,refuse award

The letters,sent by Academy vice-chairman Ashok Chakradhar,said: “Sheila Dikshit has expressed regret over the past incidents (Vaid being denied the award) and assured that such mistakes will not be repeated in the future.” Newsline has a copy of the letter,which requests the writers to accept the awards.

But Pankaj Singh,an awardee,asked: “Why is Chakradhar sending the letters on behalf of the CM?”

Though the letters quote Dikshit,the CM’s office has already distanced itself from the controversy. “The issue is being handled by the Academy. We have nothing to do with this,” a senior official in the CMO,who looks after the Academy,said.

Dikshit had also said last week that she was not involved in the issue.

Newsline had,on April 15,reported that this year’s (2009-10) Shalaka Samman recipient,Sahitya Akademi award-winning poet Kedarnath Singh,has refused to accept it after the government backtracked on the decision of conferring the 2008-09 honour on Vaid. The government’s turnaround came after complaints by Congress leader Purushottam Goyel that Vaid writes “pornographic” literature.

Writers such as Jnanpith winners U R Ananthamurthy and Mahasweta Devi,and former winner of Shalaka Samman Krishna Sobti,among others,had criticised the government for refusing to honour Vaid.

While the ceremony could not take place last year following protests by the winners,it was postponed again last month.

Now,Chakradhar said,“We hope for a favourable response so that we can hold the award ceremony.”

But Singh said the letter is “silent” on the issue he had raised: “Why was Vaid denied the award? There is no reason for me to respond to the Academy’s letters — I stick to my stand.”

The literary fraternity has put up a joint front against what it calls the Delhi government’s “cultural terrorism”.

In his letter to the Academy,Purushottam Agrawal,nominated for the Sahityakaar Samman,wrote: “The government does not do any favour to an artiste by awarding him. An award is an expression of gratitude for the artiste’s efforts to make the society compassionate and tolerant.”

A UPSC member and a prominent author,Agrawal refused the award saying,“Considering the denial of the honour to Vaid,I cannot accept the award.”