Ashok Vajpeyi too gives back his Sahitya Akademi award

New Delhi: A day after celebrated writer Nayantara Sahgal returned the Sahitya Akademi Award, another literary heavyweight, Ashok Vajpeyi, has also returned the prestigious award, joining a parade of litterateurs renouncing their coveted prizes, to protest “assault on right to freedom of both life and expression”.

Ms Sahgal and Mr Vajpeyi drew support from the opposition parties for their decision to return the Sahitya Akademi awards with the Congress saying it reflected the anger in the country against “intolerance”.

The Congress praised Ms Sahgal for “standing up” for the idea of a “plural” India. Backing Ms Sahgal, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that “cheap” political leaders are “attacking” the very soul of India by “decrying and denying” the country’s diversity.

A former chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, Mr Vajpeyi, voiced displeasure over the Dadri lynching incident and a string of killings of rationalists, while questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued silence on these.

“Sahgal was right. He is a very loquacious Prime Minister. Why doesn’t he tell the nation that the pluralism of this country will be defended at every cost?” Mr Vajpeyi said.

However, Sahitya Akademi president Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, questioned the actions of Ms Sahgal and Vajpeyi saying authors should adopt a “different way” to protest and not politicise the autonomous literary body.