September 21, 2013
Professor UR Ananthamurthy, the highly respected Kannada writer, has been harshly attacked for expressing his considered opinion of Mr Narendra Modi, who is a prime ministerial candidate in the forthcoming elections. Some of these attacks have been made by leaders of the BJP, who have called Mr Ananthamurthy “undemocratic” for criticizing Mr Modi. *
Such attacks are not unusual; over the past decade, several Indian writers, artists, film-makers and ordinary citizens have been attacked and sometimes threatened by interest groups and political supporters from almost all of the country’s major parties, for acts of political criticism. All of us at the newly established PEN Delhi Centre would like to say that Mr Ananthamurthy does not stand alone, and nor do any members of the literary community who have faced threats for exercising their right to free expression. Criticising any leader, political party or indeed any institution is both a democratic right and part of an artist’s right to interrogate the world that he or she inhabits.
We believe that Mr Ananthamurthy and other Indian writers, as well as all Indian citizens, should be free to express their opinions of the political system, or individual politicians. We ask Indian politicians, across all parties, to actively support the discussion, debate and criticism so necessary to our democracy, and to cease what has become a tradition of attacks on India’s creative community.
And we stand together, as writers from all across India, to support Mr Ananthamurthy’s right to critical engagement, and to urge those political parties who disagree with his views to express their disagreement with civility, without violence or abuse. Every writer, and every citizen of India must be free to speak with honesty, and without fear, about the politicians who expect to represent the people.
-signed, Members of the PEN Delhi Centre
About the PEN Delhi Centre:
John Ralston Saul, president of PEN International, welcomed the new PEN Delhi Centre: “Creating a PEN Centre in Delhi recognizes the importance and the complexity of Indian literature, of language rights and of the pressures on free expression. The writers and publishers of this part of India have a major role to play at the international level in strengthening PEN’s role.”
The new PEN Centre in Delhi was formally recognized at the annual PEN Congress in Reykjavik, September 2013, where the writer Kiran Desai introduced the Centre and spoke about its aims. (See below.) The PEN Delhi Centre includes writers and publishers from all across Delhi and India, who work in several Indian languages including English.
We are delighted to announce PEN’s first list of members, and hope that this will grow to include many more writers, translators, editors and literary professionals. It would not have been possible to start the PEN Delhi Centre without their active support and encouragement:
Anjum Hasan, Arunava Sinha, Benyamin, Chiki Sarkar, David Davidar, Devangshu Datta, Gauri Gill, Girish Karnad, Irfan Habib, Karthika VK, Kiran Desai, Leila Seth, Mahmood Farooqui, Mamang Dai, Meenakshi Ganguly, Nayantara Sahgal, Nikhil Mehra, Nikhil Pahwa, Nilanjana Roy, Nirmala Lakshman, Mukul Kesavan, Rachna Davidar, Ravi Singh, Romila Thapar, Shovon Chowdhury, Sudeep Chakravarti, Thomas Abraham, Vikram Seth.
The need for an organisation in India that connects writers in order to both celebrate the word and protect its free expression has been strongly felt. Writers who join the global PEN International community believe that literature knows no frontiers, and that PEN stands for “the principle of unhampered transmission of thought” within each nation and between all nations.
To read the PEN Charter: http://www.pen-international.org/pen-charter/
* Some links:
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
Reblogged this on Rashid's Blog.
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Pracharaks have the way of violence..from the day one they started their Hindu Mahasabha. They use Sama (friendship), Dhana (gift), Betha (enmity) and Dhanda (Violence) to achieve their goals. Friends of Modi follow Modi,s examples..What to expect more than that from them
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The critics of Prof. U Ananthamurthy does not believe in democracy even though they pretend that they are truly democratic. This is because they do not know what democracy means otherwise theyshould have rebutted his arguments in a civilised manner. It is just a fashion word for them. That is the sad truth.
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I support UR Ananthamurthy!
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the sangh parivar attack on dr. anantha murthy is a threat to freedom of expression and secular democracy.
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I am not supporter of any political party, but simple living person who has read almost all work done by UR Anantha Murthy, Dr. Bairappa, Dr. Karanth, and others.
My observation is that Dr URA has been selective in making comments or finding faults and clearly aligned himself as Congress supporter. Naturally, once he becomes political, he will get political answer. The kind of language used by Modi supporter is no different from other political-supporters.
Once URL told that Dr. Bairappa is not a novelist at all. Any reasonable person can make out where Dr. URA stands with this kind of comments.
If Mr URA is really interested in well being of society, he should demonstrate the same by not aligning with any political party, instead align on issues/objectives he strongly believes in.
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“Once URL told that Dr. Bairappa is not a novelist at all.”
Wait… so you are saying a “URL” told you that he is not a novelist. Wow… excellent. So I guess the Gobvt are really uneducated and dumb to have given him one of the ” Jnanpith Awards” for his work in the field of Kannada literature eh?
Also he has been an orator and spoken mainly about writing in India and across the world including the countries of Russia, France and many others… Guess they never saw that “URL” which of course you have not shared with us… hmmm.
Another great logical assumption that you make, Mr “Ram”, is that since the Prof. made a comment against Modi he is automatically a ” Congress supporter.”
This showcases that you are not really a logical or rational person.. or maybe just putting 2 and 2 together is not your strong point… actually.. what is your strong point? Or do you even have a point?
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Firstly, “URL” is typo error….
I am not discrediting URA, so your long argument is not required. I am very aware of URA’s work and personally enjoyed and gained from his work.
All that I tried to say is-
1. URA’s comment on Dr. SLB is not in good taste (because, everyone knows about Dr. SLBairappa’s work).
2. URA certainly aligns with Congress (there are sufficient instances/examples….not related to BJP or Modi…even otherwise….) I can give many examples….
My opinion is my opinion, and also I respect others. So please be mindful while commenting (so that Kafila’s ethos is maintained…).
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Nindiya,
You are aware, I suppose, that Mr Ananthamurthy was on record declaring that Mr Bhyrappa did not know how to write novels, but was merely a debater? You could do a simple google search and get a wealth of news articles about this event.
Of course, after widespread public criticism of his intemperate and condescending choice of words, Mr Ananthamurthy beat a hasty (if predictable) retreat, and claimed he had been ‘quoted out of context’. He huffily declared that he would no longer speak at literary functions where reporters were present! No apology was forthcoming to Mr Bhyrappa however.
Of course Mr Ananthamurthy has the perfect right to indicate his preference as to who India’s future prime minister should be. Violent attacks on his freedom of speech are condemnable and frankly juvenile.
But why not ask Mr Ananthamurthy, to show the same standards of engagement and discourse which he expects for himself? To borrow a passage from this statement of the Delhi PEN centre, why not also say: “”And we stand together, to support Mr Bhyrappa’s right to critical engagement, and to urge Mr Ananthamurthy, who disagrees with his views, to express the disagreement with civility, without violence or abuse.””” ??
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Why when URA does it, it’s being called ‘rightful criticism’ and when someone else is doing it ‘undeserved attack’ !?
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Your comment, though tongue in cheek, was quite humorous! The frank explanation for that is the old adage ‘Don’t do as I do, Do as I say!’.
I have absolutely no truck with the kind of attacks heaped on Prof URA. However I can’t help but wonder, why such a demand to express disagreement with civility and without abuse, was not issued when Prof URA himself indulged in ad hominem attacks on a highly respected fellow author.
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