Even as the Judicial Magistrate-II in Tuticorin adjourned the case against writer Joe D’ Cruz to July 15, a group of writers and educationists has expressed solidarity with him.
“We extend our fullest support to D'Cruz in his legal battle. We have no doubt that the criminal defamation suit will fail. We also have no doubt that the suit is merely an attempt by the petitioner to gain cheap publicity and harass the writer,” said a statement issued by them.
The signatories of the statement included writer educationist Vasanthi Devi, writer V. Geetha, journalist Gnani, dancer Leela Samson, singer T.M. Krishna, film-maker Anand Patwardhan, professor V. Arasu and dramatist Mangai. His Sahitya Akademi award-winning novel Korkai , tracing the history of Bharathavars in the Gulf of Mannar, landed him in a legal trouble after V. Alangara Bharathavar, general secretary of the Meenavar Viduthalai Iyakkam, accused him of portraying the community, particularly women, nuns and priests in bad light.
“Self-styled protectors of morality and religion have risen again to stifle a writer's right to write and, more dangerously, our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression,” the statement said.
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Reiterating that the novel had offended the Catholic faith was disputable, the statement said novels were works of creative literature and lend themselves to multiple readings.
“Moreover, both these novels ( Korkai and Aazhi Soozh Ulagu ) have been in the public domain for several years earning only praise and pride for the fishing community,” the statement further said.