Renowned actor and playwright Girish Karnad on Thursday withdrew his resignation from Goa's Golden Jubilee Development Council following Chief Minister Digambar Kamat's personal intervention and assurance.
The Chief Minister spoke to Mr. Karnad and gave an assurance to him that the Goa government would not allow vandalism to scuttle the freedom of expression of artists, an official spokesman told The Hindu.
Sources confirmed that Mr. Kamat, who was away in Hyderabad when Mr. Karnad's resignation letter reached the Chief Minister's office, spoke to him on his return to Goa on Thursday.
Police protection
Mr. Kamat even assured Mr. Karnad that the government would provide police protection if the Goa-based Xavier Institute of Historical Research again intended to hold the exhibition of paintings of Sanskrit scholar and artist Jose Pereira.
Expressing shock over the State government's silence when Mr. Pereira's paintings were targeted by right wing Hindu groups, Mr. Karnad declined to associate himself with the high-power committee. Faced with threats and pressure from groups, the institute had called off the exhibition last month.
The Goa government recently constituted the Council under scientist R.A. Mashelkar to formulate a vision document for the State to mark the 50th anniversary of its liberation.
