Kashmiri writer too decides to return Sahitya Akademi award

Prominent Kashmiri writer and poet Ghulam Nabi Khayal today joined a growing club of writers and poets across India who are returning their awards to protest the “rising intolerance” in the country.

Khayal, a 1975 Sahitya Akademi award winner for his Kashmiri book “Gashik Minaar” (Luminaries), has decided to return the award, including the cash prize, to protest the “growing intolerance and communal atmosphere, including the Dadri lynching incident, and the increasing attacks against minorities” in the country.

“This is to protest what is happening across India. This is to protest the rising intolerance and growing communalisation. Even today, there was an attack in Mumbai on Mr Kulkarni for organising a book launch, which shows intolerance”, Khayal told .

Khayal, who also appealed to other Kashmiri writers to return their awards, said since the Modi-led NDA government took over at the Centre, the government “inaction” to rein in “communal and fascist forces” indicated that these types of attacks had the “tacit government approval and patronage”. Khayal, who has more than 30 publications to his credit, was also given J&K state government award in 2014 for his “meritorious service” in the field of literature. He has also been honoured with two State Cultural Academy awards, which include one for his English book “Leaves of Chinar” in 2013.