Kobad Ghandy book row: it is govt's decision, can not criticise: State Literature board chairman More

Dr Sadanand More, author and chairperson of the Maharashtra State Literature and Culture Board, on Wednesday said he can not speak against the decision of the Maharashtra government to withdraw an award announced for the Marathi translation of Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandys memoir.Unlike some other members of the board who have resigned in protest, he would not step down, he told reporters here.A controversy erupted after the government on Monday withdrew the Late Yashwantrao Chavan Literature Award 2021 announced for Anagha Leles Marathi translation of Ghandys book Fractured Freedom A Prison Memoir.

Dr Sadanand More, author and chairperson of the Maharashtra State Literature and Culture Board, on Wednesday said he can not speak against the decision of the Maharashtra government to withdraw an award announced for the Marathi translation of Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy's memoir.

Unlike some other members of the board who have resigned in protest, he would not step down, he told reporters here.

A controversy erupted after the government on Monday withdrew the Late Yashwantrao Chavan Literature Award 2021 announced for Anagha Lele's Marathi translation of Ghandy's book ''Fractured Freedom: A Prison Memoir''. The government also scrapped the award selection committee.

Dr More said the board's scrutiny committee had recommended Lele's book along with other books to Ganesh Visputey, member of the awards committee.

''But later Narendra Pathak, a member of the scrutiny committee, himself objected to the book, saying it glorifies Naxalite practices and therefore the award was later withdrawn,'' More added. The board followed all the norms and procedures while recommending the book and it was the state government's decision to withdraw the award, he added.

Asked about some other members of the board resigning as a mark of protest, he said till the time the state government does not reconstitute the board, he is the chairperson and he will not resign. ''Since I am the chairperson of the board, I can not run away or speak against the government's decision,'' he added. Meanwhile, Pathak told PTI that the scrutiny committee of the board has the mandate to only scrutinize the books on technical grounds, such as the year of the publication, whether the forms have been filled properly and the book fits into the genre for which the author has applied. ''There is a separate awards committee that recommends books for the award,'' he added. Asked why he raised objection to the award to Lele's book, he said it would be ''wrong to give platform to the ideology of a person who once worked as the top leader in the Maoist movement and who stayed in prison for 10 years, by giving it a government award.'' PTI SPK KRK KRK