Taking a contrary stand on the returning of Sahitiya Akademi awards by eminent writers, former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor today commented that although writers have every right to stand up for their freedom of expression, returning the awards amount to “dishonouring” the recognition.
Sahitya Akademi is actually an independent institution, and the concerns we have are political ones. For writers, I think there is no need to confuse these two. One should oppose the present climate...one should stand up for freedom...but one should not dishonour the award.
— Shashi Tharoor.
An established writer and columnist, Tharoor said awards are “society’s tributes to the achievements of writers and neither the achievements nor the tributes can be rolled back.”
However, the Congress leader said he was very much glad that so many writers had stood up for their cause at a time when many others had preferred silence.
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