Eminent writers R.K. Hudgi, K. Neela and Kashinath Ambalgi returned their awards as a mark of protest against the killing of M.M. Kalburgi, the Dadri incident and communal and fascist forces raising their ugly head to disturb peace in society.
While Prof. Hudgi, the director of Kalaburagi Rangayana, returned the award given to him by Anuvada Academy, Ms. Neela, a member of Karnataka Sahitya Academy, returned the award presented to her by the Kannada Sahitya Parishat. Also, Prof. Ambalgi returned the Aruta Mahotsav Award given by the Karnataka Hindi Prachar Samiti and the Rajyotsava Award given by Gulbarga University. He returned the cash awards as well.
The awards were returned by the writers at the inauguration of a two-day seminar on the ‘Life and Works of Dr. M.M. Kalburgi’ in Kalaburagi city on Thursday.
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Ms. Neela said returning the awards does not symbolise disrespect to those who gave it. This is a non-violent protest against the brazen attempts through violent means to silence the voices of rationalists and free thinkers, she said.
Referring to criticisms that by returning these awards the writers achieved nothing, Ms. Neela said that eminent writers returning awards and resigning from the Sahitya Parishat and other bodies has shaken the conscience of right thinking Indians and had its bearing elsewhere outside the country. “This protest has united all writers against fascist forces.” Senior writers and thinkers Mrutyunjaya Rumale, C. Veeranna, Mr. Hudgi, S.G. Siddaramaiah, K. Prakash and C.H. Naranal delivered special lectures on Kalburgi. The seminar was jointly organised by the Kannada Sangha of M.S. Irani Degree College and Gulbarga University College Kannada Teachers’ Association.