Coming out in defence of writers and in support of a culture of free expression, activists, academics and students expressed deep regret over the sustained assault on writers, their works and their families, at a seminar at the Madras Institute of Development Studies here on Tuesday.
“Curb on free expression is the worst repression of all,” said Kumaresan of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association.
“Human societies and communities can grow only if there is a free exchange of opinions and ideas,” he added.
Referring to a series of recent events in which right-wing groups targeted writers, such as Perumal Murugan and Puliyur Murugesan, Ponni Arasu, a researcher at the University of Toronto, said Tamil society’s obsession with honour was being exploited by Hindu groups.
“There has to be a radical critique of the gender and caste norms that is at the root of these protests,” she said. “We need to build new ideas of family, community and honour and commit ourselves to difficult and democratic conversations,” she added.
