This year’s Hyderabad Literary Festival concluded successfully
yesterday. The Literary Festival was held for four days, starting from 7th
January to 10th January, at Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet. The lectures,
the debates and discussions on a plethora of issues – be it freedom of speech
and expression, India’s political dynamics or even the unfortunate fate of
regional languages, saw an impressive participation by writers, scholars,
readers and observers, both from Hyderabad and outside. The Cultural
performances and the academic exhibitions put up at the venue were added
attractions.
The very first event, the inaugural event on 7th January took
off with a bang, with a war of words between author Nayantara Sahgal and
Telangana State Governor, E.S.L. Narasimhan, a former Police Officer. Ms.
Sahagal was the first speaker. She spoke on the diminishing space for dissent
in our country and how a series of intolerant incidents over the past one year
have affected her and how she was the first to give up her Sahitya Akademi
Award, protesting the failure of the State to safeguard India’s diversity.
Clearly incensed with Ms. Sahgal’s speech, the Chief Guest, Governor
E.S.L. Narasimhan, jumped in, ditching his pre-written speech. Narasimhan went
on a rant attacking Sahgal. He said Freedom is a universal right but dissent is
a subjective matter, it depends on how you interpret it. He said Civil Society
has double standards and it rakes up issues selectively. Using family disputes
as examples he put forth his view points. He said there is dissent within families too
but you get past them.
Sahgal’s call to writers and artists to take up the challenge
and stop the attack on Indian-ness too irked the Governor. He took off by
saying how great our Nation was and how it was home to the richest language of
all, Sanskrit. He blamed the tendency among people to look outside for
everything while ignoring the rich cultural heritage of India. The Governor
told Sahgal who is visiting Hyderabad for the first time “You will change your
opinion about dissent after you see Hyderabad, which has a big heart”.
The situation turned particularly ugly and humiliating for Sahgal
when the Governor in response to her comment on the role of Cinema and how it
can play a part in condemning social evils, almost unwarrantedly veered the
discussion towards the Police and held Cinema responsible for showcasing them
as bad guys. The Governor said showcasing Police in the wrong light is not
appropriate. He said imagine the crisis if the Police is taken off the streets
even for few days.
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