The list of disgruntled writers quitting their Sahitya Akademi posts and returning the prestigious award is growing longer by the day. Noted Kannada poet Aravind Malagatti is the latest to quit the Akademi general council citing threat calls and letters.
The Dalit poet, who has founded several organisations for social development of backward classes, is also known for his outspoken remarks. He said on Sunday that he has been receiving many threat calls and letters.
"I am also getting a lot of threat calls and letters," agencies quoted Malagatti as saying. "I have sent a letter to the Akademi chairman today resigning as a member of the general council, as I am disturbed over the continued silence of our institution on Kalburgi's murder."
Earlier, Malayalam writer K Sachidanandan had resigned from the Sahitya Akademi General Council and Executive Board, saying that the organisation did not take enough action after the murder of Kannada scholar Malleshappa M Kalburgi.
Following this, another Kerala writer PK Parakkadavu quit his Akademi membership, while novelist Sarah Joseph returned her award.
Hindi writer Uday Prakash was the first to return the prestigious award. Writer Nayantara Sahgal and poet Ashok Vajpeyi followed Prakash protesting the murders of rationalists like MM Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar as well as the shocking incident of Dadri wherein a mob lynched Mohammed Akhlaq in Greater Noida over rumours of eating and storing beef.
