New Delhi : After a scathing attack by RSS against artists, writers and intellectuals returning their awards, several artists and writers supportive of the Modi government are ready to fight it out on the streets. These artists are inspired by the likes of actor Anupam Kher and filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar who are continuously slamming the ‘award wapsi’ brigade. After the initial shock of the ‘award wapsi’ brigade hogging headlines both in the national and international media, the right wing organisations have woken up to the challenge and trying to build up a counter campaign. RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosable had attacked the scientists, writers and intellectuals returning their wards on Friday asking
if they ever felt the same for Karyasewaks burnt in Godhra or the Kashmiri Pandits driven out from their homeland. Hosable termed the campaign as politically driven saying ‘these people had been unable to digest the rise of Modi and nationalist thinking among the youth’. Taking a cue from the leadership, Sanskar Bharti, an RSS affiliate working in the field culture, has contacted a host of artists, writers etc to come out for a counter campaign. Besides Kher and Bhandarkar, actor/director Manoj Joshi, danseuse Sonal Mansingh, lyricist Prasoon Joshi, writer Baldev Sharma are likely to lead the protest. The RSS is also trying to have some noted journalists on the board. Manoj Joshi, noted theatre director and actor told FPJ that ‘there was an urgent need to tell the people that the move to return awards was purely politically motivated. “It is my clear view that artists who are returning their awards are insulting the nation. National awards are not given by an
individual or political party. They are given by the nation and nobody has right to return it and insult the people. If they have complaints, they should voice their issues in a democratic way”, Joshi said. He said he was co-ordinating with like-minded artists to make their point and spread awareness. Sonal Mansingh, who has publicly questioned ‘award wapsi’ also said many writers and thinkers were feeling the same. The protest is likely on November 7 at the National Museum in the capital.
