Award Wapsi Latest Twist – Authors Withdraw From Protest

In the latest twist in Award Wapsi row, few authors and filmmakers are taking back their awards after they returned them as a protest against religious intolerance under PM Modi governance. Different intellectuals are giving different reasons, and all are less ridiculous than the one they gave up for.

One of the reasons, expectedly, was lack of publicity. In the crowd of people returning their Sahitya Akademi and National Awards, the media failed to interview and give overnight fame to many of them. Upset over it, these intellectuals retreated from the protest.   

“I didn’t get as much exposure as other authors when they returned their award,” explained Kamal Burgi, a free thinker and intellect, “although I received the award before everyone else, I got the least fame.”

“Indian media is so unfair, it took exclusive quotes from Nayantara Sehgal because she’s neice of Jawahar Nehru, however it ignored me because I’m little known,” stated Bidaker Bannerjee, a noted filmmaker.

Meanwhile, other authors have withdrawn the awards in the wake of NDA alliance losing Bihar Elections, as they are identified as anti-Modi and pro-Congress intellectuals. However, the move has angered Sonia Gandhi as it exposed the whole plan.

Probably, these intellectuals were afraid that Sahitya Akademi would also ask them to return the Prize Money, which none of them have returned with their awards.

All in all, the no of intellectuals who returned the award as protest against Religious Intolerance has reduced gradually with BJP losing Bihar elections, though with different reasons.

The Latest ‘In’ Word: Intolerance

Intolerance is the latest buzz word in India like selife / groupie. Intolerance gained popularity since authors started returning their awards claiming rise of religious intolerance under PM Narendra Modi’s regime; though none questioned them about 1984 Sikh riots, Muzaffarnagar violence.

Let’s have a small, yet deep understanding of the latest ‘in’ word of the nation.

intolerance

ɪnˈtɒl(ə)r(ə)ns,ɪnˈtɒl(ə)rəns/

noun

1. unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or behaviour that differ from one's own.

Intolerance is lynching of a man for eating beef in UP (under Samajwadi Party rule), while ignoring the arrest and charges of treason against folk singer Kovan to criticize Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu.

Intolerance is what Shah Rukh Khan quoted in an interview, while remaining mum on Vohra Committee report that was hushed up on fear of exposing relations between bollywood stars and Dawood Ibrahim.

Intolerance is the murder of two Dalit kids in a caste-fight, while ignoring the absence of hue and cry when over 60 people were butchered in Muzaffarnagar. Bollywood stars performing at dance shows near the very place just days after the riot is completely tolerant.

Intolerance is banning beef, and taking away freedom of consuming food of choice, while uttering no word when Media was banned during The Emergency under Indira Gandhi rule. I’m scared to imagine how many awards were returned then.

Intolerance is BJP leaders making communal remarks against SRK, while everyone else gets away after making hate comments against the Prime Minister or anyone else.

Intolerance is asking people to leave to Pakistan, while our soldiers tolerate bullets from Pakistani terrorists from across the border everyday.

Intolerance is tolerating Congress marching to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the very Congress that has its hand dripping the blood of the victims of Sikh riots, and the blood of India’s Constitution, which was murdered by Indira Gandhi during the Emergency.  

With these intellectuals returning their awards, the honour that India bestowed upon them, will surely divide the Indian history as Before Modi and After Modi - No matter how many communal disputes Before Modi, India was very tolerant, and any criminal incident After Modi is religious intolerance.