The Hyderabad Literary Festival turned into a war of words and ideas as the guest of honour, Nayantara Sahgal’s speech was challenged by the chief guest at the event, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan.
Ms. Sahgal, a litterateur, who was the first to return the Sahithya Academy Award, said: “India is not a Hindu Rashtra, but a secular democratic country. The last year of India’s history was very bad, as three progressive writers were killed and the government remained silent.” Ms. Sahgal said that nobody has a right to dictate what people should eat or read.
“Freedom of expression is in danger. We can’t allow the crushing of dissent,” she said, while addressing the delegates during the event. Challenging Sahgal’s comment, the Governor said: “Freedom of expression is a fundamental right but dissent is subjective. Is civil society only for terrorists? Not one person looks at people killed and lying dead in markets. The civil society has double standards.”
The Governor said that India is a country where there is unity in diversity. “We are a family, and in a family, there are differences. We should agree to disagree,” he said, during his address at the event.
The head of the State also said that the police are portrayed in a bad light in movies. “If the police are not there what will the civil society do? Remove the police for one month and see what happens,” he said rhetorically.
