Freedom of Expression Takes Backseat
The Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (Marathi Literary Meet) will take place in Mahabaleshwar without any presiding authority. Yes, the meet which is to start from Friday will have no president. This is the first time in the history of the meet that it will be conducted without president.
The meet is scheduled to start in Mahabaleshwar from March 20. Anand Yadav, the path breaking author who started era of rural literature in Marathi was elected as the president of the meet through an election process conducted all over the state. He has written a novel 'Santsurya Tukaram' which has invited wrath from the Warkaris in the state. According to Warkaris, the novel depicts Tukaram in bad light and has defamed the revered saint. After the controversy erupted about a month ago, Yadav had first refused to budge saying that Warkaris do not know what a novel is. Then he relented and withdrew his novel from the market.
Not pleased with this, Maharashtra Warkari Mahamandal, a body of warkaris demanded an apology from Yadav. Two days ago, Yadav submitted his written apology at Dehu, the place of Tukaram. He was reportedly manhandled and abused by warkaris there. Finally, Yadav tendered his resignation on Tuesday. Warkaris had threatened that in case Yadav dose not resign, 10,000 warkaris will start agiatiation in Mahabaleshwar.
"I have nothing to say on this affair. I just gave up the fight so that this annual literary meet is not hampered by some forces," Yadav said two days ago. One day after tendering his resignation as the president elect of 82nd Annual Marathi Literary Meet (Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan). Yadav is in no mood to speak about the extra-constituential censorship.
The meet is scheduled to start in Mahabaleshwar from March 20. Anand Yadav, the path breaking author who started era of rural literature in Marathi was elected as the president of the meet through an election process conducted all over the state. He has written a novel 'Santsurya Tukaram' which has invited wrath from the Warkaris in the state. According to Warkaris, the novel depicts Tukaram in bad light and has defamed the revered saint. After the controversy erupted about a month ago, Yadav had first refused to budge saying that Warkaris do not know what a novel is. Then he relented and withdrew his novel from the market.
Not pleased with this, Maharashtra Warkari Mahamandal, a body of warkaris demanded an apology from Yadav. Two days ago, Yadav submitted his written apology at Dehu, the place of Tukaram. He was reportedly manhandled and abused by warkaris there. Finally, Yadav tendered his resignation on Tuesday. Warkaris had threatened that in case Yadav dose not resign, 10,000 warkaris will start agiatiation in Mahabaleshwar.
"I have nothing to say on this affair. I just gave up the fight so that this annual literary meet is not hampered by some forces," Yadav said two days ago. One day after tendering his resignation as the president elect of 82nd Annual Marathi Literary Meet (Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan). Yadav is in no mood to speak about the extra-constituential censorship.
He said, "What should I do when there are forces bent to disrupt the meet for the sake of a person? In earlier times, people (media) used to come forward in defence of freedom of expression. But this time everybody is silent. I am sorry but I have chosen to be silent."
A meeting of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal was conducted yesterday in Mahabaleshwar. It was decided in the meeting that the meet will take place in the absence of a president.
Who is Yadav
Anand Yadav, 82 years old, was born in a small village Kagal near Kolhapur. He completed Ph.D. at Pune University. His writing began a new era in Marathi literature called Gramin Sahitya i.e. rural literature.
A meeting of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal was conducted yesterday in Mahabaleshwar. It was decided in the meeting that the meet will take place in the absence of a president.
Who is Yadav
Anand Yadav, 82 years old, was born in a small village Kagal near Kolhapur. He completed Ph.D. at Pune University. His writing began a new era in Marathi literature called Gramin Sahitya i.e. rural literature.
Yadav's novel Zombi (lit. 'Fight against all odds') won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990. Zombi is a realistic novel that narrates the story of small 'Andya', his eagerness to learn, his life in sheer poverty, his loving mother and illiterate rural father.
His second novel, "Nangarni" (cultivation of the soil), is a sequel to "Zombi". It narrates his struggle during youth and the challenges he faced in settling down in life. The third autobiographical novel of this series, "Gharbhinti", describes his adult life--his marriage, daughters' education and support of family back in Kolhapur.
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