Winners to stay away,but award function on

Last year,the Academy couldn’t hold the ceremony due to the protests against the withdrawal of the 2008-09 Shalaka Samman ,its top most award,from Krishna Baldev Vaid. This year,the initial plan to hold the function on March 23 had to be put off after many nominees said they won’t accept the award.

“Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit recently wrote to me that she was sorry for the past events and that she has always respected the autonomy of the Academy. She requested me to reconsider my decision and accept the award,” Singh told Newsline on Sunday. A resident of Delhi,the Sahitya Akademi winning poet now stays in his native village of Ballia,UP.

“I wrote back that considering the autonomy of the Academy I request you to reinstate the 2008-09 Shalaka Samman (to Vaid). This will uphold the autonomy of the institution,” he said,adding that he was still getting calls from the Delhi Academy. “I hope our refusal will lead to a debate on the functioning of government-run cultural bodies and free them from undue control,” Singh said.

Newsline had recently reported that Academy vice-chairman Ashok Chakradhar had sent similar letters to other nominees carrying an apology on behalf of the Chief Minister. But many of them still refused the award. The CMO then distanced itself from the controversy saying the matter is being solely dealt with by the Academy.

While Chakradhar claims the Academy has invited all nominees and “the ceremony will be held this time even if some writers do not turn up”,prominent writers question the legitimacy of the awards amid the protests.

“If there is so much opposition,they should cancel the ceremony. Will they host the show in an empty hall? The government cannot impose the awards on writers. They must address their issues first,” said former Shalaka Samman winner Krishna Sobti. “The government thinks that desi lekhak (Indian language writers) can be taken lightly. They don’t know these writers hold the real power,” she said.

Blaming the Academy officials for the controversy,she said: “What is the eligibility of Chakradhar for holding such an important seat? Can he even write good Hindi? He has created a lobby against Vaid and now claims to hold the ceremony. The government must cleanse the Academy first.”

Sources said the CM was unlikely to attend the function to present the awards,as is the convention,if the protests continue.