Facing flak, literary meet withdraws invite to Nayantara Sehgal

Pune: Organisers of 92nd Marathi  Sahitya Sammelan, to be held in Yavatmal, have withdrawn invite given to Nayantara Sehgal, after receiving threats by miscreants opposing her presence in the programme. She was supposed to give inaugural speech at the festival which will be held from January 11 to 13.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shetkari Nyay Samiti opposed her participation in the programme saying she is an English writer and Marathi writer should be invited.

It is said that organisers didn’t want to take risk as she is known to talk fearlessly and would have criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime in the state.

Saheb Pawar of Shetkari Nyay Samiti that has opposed Ms Sehgal’s participation saying, “We wanted Marathi person to deliver inaugural speech as we have many woman and Dyanpith winners in Maharashtra. Sahitya Mahamandal has said that the literature festival is to promote Marathi literature then why Sehgal, who is an English writer, is invited. Our opposition is ideological.”

Raju Umbarkar of MNS also threatened to disrupt the festival if she is invited. But later MNS’s stand became softer.

Dr Ramakant Kolte, organiser of the Sahitya Sammelan, in a press statement said, “Sahitya Mahamandal had suggested organising committee to invite Sehgal for inaugural programme and had sent an invite accordingly. But a couple of organisations have issues with the way of her writing and they had given statements in local newspapers that they would disrupt the Sammelan if she is invited. We have decided not to invite her so that there wouldn’t be any harm and mismanagement at the festival. She has been informed about it.”

Sripad Joshi, president of Sahitya Mahamandal said, “The decision has been taken after organisers received threats that festival would be disrupted if she is invited. Mahamandal respects freedom of speech of all writers. Organisers had to cancel her invitation due to the circumstances.”