Writers returning their awards - what do they hope to achieve?

The question is surely not one of one's fundamental right to protest which should be defended and protected at all costs and under circumstances especially in an environment which is being vitiated by elements who are out to endanger the rich mosaic of Indianness but the credentials of a duplicitous set of writers whose past conspiratorial silence is comparable to one being practiced by Modi. He is the most garrulous PM India has ever seen but remains mysteriously or deliberately not even monosyllabic in condemning activities of lunatic who are no longer on the fringe but right on the centerstage! I know law and order is a state subject and the least that Modi could have done is by making a bold statement that his government would not tolerate such intolerance. That would have conveyed the right signal.

rambabu wrote:

anil wrote:

usha manohar wrote:

The so called symbolism is nothing but their irrationality because these people never protested when Sikh riots took place nor when many such events took place , which goes to show  their double standards and that they cater to the interest of one political party ..

http://indiafacts.co.in/where-was-nayantara-sahgal-when-india-actually-needed-her/

Yes today also one person return awards. What happen with it. I don't know but it may possible that some cash also attached with these  rewards. Are they refunding cash? It is only to come in to lime light.

 

 Cash attached to the reward will not be refunded. That cash is meant for the rewardee's pocket . 

 

 

chinmoymukherjee wrote:

The question is surely not one of one's fundamental right to protest which should be defended and protected at all costs and under circumstances especially in an environment which is being vitiated by elements who are out to endanger the rich mosaic of Indianness but the credentials of a duplicitous set of writers whose past conspiratorial silence is comparable to one being practiced by Modi. He is the most garrulous PM India has ever seen but remains mysteriously or deliberately not even monosyllabic in condemning activities of lunatic who are no longer on the fringe but right on the centerstage! I know law and order is a state subject and the least that Modi could have done is by making a bold statement that his government would not tolerate such intolerance. That would have conveyed the right signal.

 

 

I totally agree with that ..I hope he does not go the Manmohan way..

In the meantime there is a whole load of fun things being posted on the net some of which is truly hilarious like this one..

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Humour-5-more-things-to-be-retunred-in-protest-against-rising-intolerance-in-india/listshow/49324832.cms?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=TOI

The PM cooperates under extreme pressure and has been forced to issue statements condemning the recent incidents  in Dadri and Mumbai. Too little too late. Could the writer's protest have played a small part in this pressure? One cannot expect writers with leanings towards BJP to surrender their awards. Manmohan Singh spoke less as a matter of his nature unlike present PM who falls into silence when his party members go diabolic.

vijay wrote:

The PM cooperates under extreme pressure and has been forced to issue statements condemning the recent incidents  in Dadri and Mumbai. Too little too late. Could the writer's protest have played a small part in this pressure? One cannot expect writers with leanings towards BJP to surrender their awards. Manmohan Singh spoke less as a matter of his nature unlike present PM who falls into silence when his party members go diabolic.

Statement under pressure is not only too little and too late. This is not even whole hearted. I am tempted to refer to a tactics followed when there is gropup fighting. The younger ones are encouraged to fight against the opponents. But the elders when confronted pay a lip service to harmony and advise the younger to keep calm. Everyone however knows that this advice is only formal.  

You have put it very aptly. Also implied in this is the fact that they consider the people to be fools not to understand. Their backers want now the antecedents of the protesting writers to be gone into. A narrow agenda can never lead to broad gains.

Today I read a column in news paper about it. Writer wrote that it is not fair to return awards. He wrote that government may be change after 5 years. Accedmy is an independent body. These awards was given for the their writing. How can they degrade their writing by returning awards.

What is the reaction of union minister!  He says- Let them stop writing. Then we shall see.  This is what therulimg circles want. It is writers who express peoples's aspirations.  Today- say Let ehem not write. Romorrow say- Let poets not compose poems. Let editors and correspondents not report. Is this not huidden fascist agends! 

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/let-writers-stop-writing-then-we-will-see-culture-minister-mahesh-sharma/

usha manohar wrote:

chinmoymukherjee wrote:

The question is surely not one of one's fundamental right to protest which should be defended and protected at all costs and under circumstances especially in an environment which is being vitiated by elements who are out to endanger the rich mosaic of Indianness but the credentials of a duplicitous set of writers whose past conspiratorial silence is comparable to one being practiced by Modi. He is the most garrulous PM India has ever seen but remains mysteriously or deliberately not even monosyllabic in condemning activities of lunatic who are no longer on the fringe but right on the centerstage! I know law and order is a state subject and the least that Modi could have done is by making a bold statement that his government would not tolerate such intolerance. That would have conveyed the right signal.

 

 

I totally agree with that ..I hope he does not go the Manmohan way..

In the meantime there is a whole load of fun things being posted on the net some of which is truly hilarious like this one..

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Humour-5-more-things-to-be-retunred-in-protest-against-rising-intolerance-in-india/listshow/49324832.cms?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=TOI

Hilarious all the way. Especially Maywati returning her MPs. T here are no MPs currently, Indian cricket team its ODI rankings and Pakistan decided to PoK.

 

There have been many views coming out of ministers , general public , opposition parties and of course some of the writers themselves who feel that the whole exercise of returning the awards is nothing but a political manipulation backed by the grand old party which never misses an opportunity forgetting that worse atrocities have taken place during their rule...However, may be this is a culmination point taking all the past deeds into account , the writers may want the attack on freedom of expression ( which saw its peak during emergency ) to stop..

Now, Anupam Kher has spoken against this practice of the writers very openly. Yesterday, there was a discussion on TOI Newshour, Kher was present and writers too. The writers were not ready to listen to the opinion of the other side and one said that they were creative people so they show their protest in different ways. Thus, this time they chose to return their award without any political agenda to back.

Dr. Vishwanath  Prasad Tiwari, President Of Sahitya academy, questions, if the writers oppose the Government, what has Sahitya Akademi  what has the Sahitya Akademi got to do with it ?

He firmly says that Sahitya Akademi is an autonomous body, writers should oppose the Government in a different way, but not by returning the Awards.

http://www.rediff.com/news/interview/sahitya-akademi-president-why-are-writers-returning-awards/20151013.htm

The way writers are being hounded by specific channels for returning their awards clearly shows that their protest has touched a raw nerve in the political establishment. Anupam Kher questioning writers was comical He as a Kashmiri repeatedly asked how many writers returned their awards when Pandits were being hounded out of J&K. Fair question but may he tell us how he protested by sacrificing his awards or contributing his earnings or sitting on dharnas or visiting refugee camps in Jammu. So what is he trying to achieve. The writers have a right to protest the way they deem fit. Armchair critics will only pass judgments. @ Shampa did you notice that when Kher was asked the above question by the lady writer he not only did not answer but Arnab also came to his rescue by changing the topic or moving to another participant. So when everyone has an agenda why point 'pen's at each other. You reap as you sow.

The issue will provide a platform many to voice their opinions and some of them would be impractical and ridiculous ..But some would feel that they had a raw deal when similar things happened with them. Taslima Nasreen has put it aptly when she tweeted that Politicians are the root cause of all problems and by appeasing Muslims they make Hindus angry..

http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/most-secular-liberals-in-india-are-pro-muslim-anti-hindu-taslima-nasreen_1811269.html

vijay wrote:

The way writers are being hounded by specific channels for returning their awards clearly shows that their protest has touched a raw nerve in the political establishment. Anupam Kher questioning writers was comical He as a Kashmiri repeatedly asked how many writers returned their awards when Pandits were being hounded out of J&K. Fair question but may he tell us how he protested by sacrificing his awards or contributing his earnings or sitting on dharnas or visiting refugee camps in Jammu. So what is he trying to achieve. The writers have a right to protest the way they deem fit. Armchair critics will only pass judgments. @ Shampa did you notice that when Kher was asked the above question by the lady writer he not only did not answer but Arnab also came to his rescue by changing the topic or moving to another participant. So when everyone has an agenda why point 'pen's at each other. You reap as you sow.

You referred tothe anchor Arnab Goswami. I have noticed that he speaks more than the guests inhis programme and interferes so much that gusts cannot speak at all. I saw him disturbing Ex JusticeKatju so much on Subhash Chandra issue. No self respecting and sensible person may like to be guestin his programme unless his agenda is same as that of Goswami. 

Listening to TV debates is total waste of time. One day they say it's too cold (in January) next time you can hear them complaining- it's too hot (in June) and in August the either say it's too much of rain or No rain at all. 

Same is the case- one day the debate about Dadri accusing government for not taking any action, next day the matter of debate is what action the government is planning on cow murderers and smugglers. Their debates invariably end up with no results but a charged up anchor and panelists in the end. 

Taslima rightly said the so-called secularists are nothing but cashing on the sentiments of Muslims at the cost of Hindus. When something goes wrong with Hindus no secularist comes forward and raises the issue.

TV debates manya times are geared in one direction depending on what the anchor wants to portray ..Just to see the loopholes it is fun to watch Arnab Goswami's debate .But , all said he is a very intelligent , sharp and knowledgeable person which is evident by the way he comes up witnhsome of his arguments.The problem with him is , he too loud ! 

Taslima must be feeling let down because the way Indian writers and politicians treated her..

TV debates manya times are geared in one direction depending on what the anchor wants to portray ..Just to see the loopholes it is fun to watch Arnab Goswami's debate .But , all said he is a very intelligent , sharp and knowledgeable person which is evident by the way he comes up witnhsome of his arguments.The problem with him is , he too loud ! 

Taslima must be feeling let down because the way Indian writers and politicians treated her..

usha manohar wrote:

TV debates manya times are geared in one direction depending on what the anchor wants to portray ..Just to see the loopholes it is fun to watch Arnab Goswami's debate .But , all said he is a very intelligent , sharp and knowledgeable person which is evident by the way he comes up witnhsome of his arguments.The problem with him is , he too loud ! 

Taslima must be feeling let down because the way Indian writers and politicians treated her..

We do not doubtthe knowledge of theanchorson any topic. But what is the function of anchor. we are more interested in listening to the guests rather than the anchor. The anchor is supposed to mediate and give due opportunity to all guests. The anchor's own opinion does not matter so much. In case he is partial towards some and prejudiced against others, he has no role. Better the anchor be guest and some other person be host/ anchor. 

In Arnab's program the best line is when he requests the participants to let him also speak. His verbal diarrhea  induces verbal  constipation in his guests. Manya guest have stopped participating in his programs. He is sharp, intelligent but instead of an anchor becomes the 90% participant. Time he was moderated by his employers. Soon hev may run out of guests. After listening two debates on the writers returning awards I am only aware of his questions and not answers from participants who hardly got to open their mouths.