Mumbai, Dec 14 (PTI) The chief of the Maharashtra government’s Language Advisory Committee resigned on Wednesday to protest the state government’s decision to withdraw an award for a Marathi translation of former Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy’s memoir.
On the other hand, Deepak Kesarkar, minister for Marathi Language, defended the turn-around, stating that the award would have meant the government’s stamp of approval for Naxalism.
Controversy erupted after the state government withdrew the Yashwantrao Chavan Literature Award 2021 to Anagha Lele for her translation of Ghandy’s “Fractured Freedom: A Prison Memoir”, six days after its announcement on December 6.
On Wednesday, writer and chairman of the government’s Language Advisory Committee, Laxmikant Deshmukh, announced that he was stepping down from his post in protest.
In his letter to Kesarkar, Deshmukh said, “Maharashtra had never witnessed political interference in literary awards, except in 1981 when Vinay Hardikar’s book was similarly rejected by the then state government.” Ghandy’s book does not sympathise with Maoist violence, but the state government took a “one-sided decision,” said the former IAS officer.
Three members of the award selection committee — Dr Pradnya Daya Pawar, Neeraja and Heramb Kulkarni – had on Tuesday resigned from the state Literature and Culture Board in protest. The selection panel itself has been scrapped by the government.
Another member of the board, Vinod Shirsath, resigned on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, minister Kesarkar defended the withdrawal of the award, stating that “an award even for the translation of Ghandy’s book would have meant the government’s stamp (of approval) for the Naxalite movement and their violent actions.” “I have worked as Minister of State for Home and I am well aware of the urban Naxal menace. Once the state government’s award news is out, the youth will google Kobad Ghandy and his work and their brilliant minds will be influenced by Naxalism and their ideology,” said the minister who belongs to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
“The state government has all rights to take back any award to protect the integrity of society,” he said, adding that “I will not tolerate any kind of glorification of Naxalite views, hence the decision has been taken.” When pointed out that the original English book is already out in the market for two years, Kesarkar said it was more about government giving an award which also means an “endorsement”.
Translator Anagha Lele claimed that the government did not seem to have looked at the book’s content.
“Those who have not read the book but only expressed their views on social media like Twitter have influenced the decision,” she said in a Facebook post.
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Ajit Pawar in his reaction said that the government was trying to “control the fields of literature and culture” and impose an “undeclared emergency”.
Writers Sharad Baviskar and Anand Karandikar, whose books have received awards this year, also protested the decision. Karandikar on Tuesday told PTI that he would return his award. PTI ND MR NP NSK KRK KRK
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