Year after honour denied to ‘literary giant’,writers slam Sheila’s ‘cultural terrorism’

Many prominent writers have now slammed the government for its “cultural terrorism”.

“How can the CM act on just a letter by a party leader? Has she read Vaid? He is a literary giant — his writings have enormous depth,” Jnanpith Award winner U R Ananthamurthy told Newsline. “The government shouldn’t have withdrawn the award. If his writings are obscene,so are mine.”

Mahasweta Devi,also a Jnanpith winner,said: “The Delhi government has insulted Vaid. The award shouldn’t have been withdrawn.”

The issue dates back to February 2009,when the Delhi Hindi Academy’s executive council unanimously selected Vaid for Shalaka Samman for 2008-09 during its meeting on February 26,2009. Dikshit,the Academy president,approved the awards in March 2009 but withdrew it a fortnight later after receiving a letter from Congress leader Purushottam Goyel.

Goyel,in his letter to the CM (dated March 31,2009) accused Vaid of “writing porn and sub-standard literature”. Newsline has copies of Goyel’s letter,and a letter dated April 8,2009 from Special Secretary to CM Keshav Chandra to the secretary of Hindi Academy,informing him about the award withdrawal.

But with members of the executive committee and then secretary resigning in protest,the 2008-09 award ceremony could not be held.

“Vaid is anti-woman in his writings,” Goyel told Newsline. “I understand a writer’s independence but when it comes to government awards,you cannot go against our policies. Vaid’s writings are against the Delhi government’s women’s empowerment schemes.”

A master of experimental fiction,Vaid has written 10 novels,many story collections,plays and voluminous journals. “This has now become an issue of writers’ independence. Many artists,including (M F) Husain,(Saadat Hasan) Manto,(James) Joyce,(Vladimir) Nabokov and (Henry) Miller had to face charges of obscenity,” Vaid,who has since rejected the award,wrote in an email from the US. “I feel terribly hurt that the autonomy of the Academy is being assailed.”

Krishna Sobti,a former winner of Shalaka Samman,said: “Who authorised the government to decide on Vaid’s writings? He is among our finest writers — this is cultural terrorism.”

Dikshit on Thursday told Newsline that the decision to withdraw the award was taken “solely” by the Hindi Academy. “There have been conflicting views in this regard (whether Vaid should get the award),” she said. “We received a letter (from Goyel) and forwarded it to the secretary of the Academy.”

The forwarded communiqué was accompanied by a letter by Special Secretary to the CM Keshav Chandra,directing the Academy to withdraw the award.