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Journalism of Courage
Criticising the approach of the Mayawati government towards literature,noted poet and chairperson of Lalit Kala Akademi Ashok Vajpeyi has rejected the highest literary honour of Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan,the Bharat Bharati Samman.
In a snub to Mayawati,he has questioned why instead of the Chief Minister or the Governor,a minister has been invited to distribute the awards when the CM is the president of the Sansthan. Accepting any award from such an institute I consider my insult and of the entire writer community, wrote Vajpeyi in a May 2 letter to Ashok Ghosh,the Principal Secretary,Language,UP.
Earlier this year,the Sansthan announced over 100 awards to writers following recommendations by a duly-constituted jury. But the UP government,without assigning any reason,scrapped all awards except the top three Bharat Bharati,Hindi Gaurav and Mahatma Gandhi Sahitya Samman.
It is not proper to scrap the awards from retrospective effect… I request that the Sansthan gives the awards to all winners, Vajpeyi wrote in an earlier letter to the UP government.
The Sahitya Akademi winner questioned the governments seriousness regarding the honour. It is clear that the CM or the Governor do not have time to distribute the highest and now purposelessly remaining three awards of UP…I politely suggest not to hold the award ceremony.
When Vajpeyi did not get any reply from the government,he rejected the award. The ceremony is scheduled on May 19 with UP Urban Development Minister Nakul Dubey as the chief guest.
