Dozens of prominent writers, filmmakers, and scientists have returned some of India’s top awards from the government or government-supported organizations in order to protest what some of them have called a “climate of intolerance” in the country.
Many of them have pointed to the recent murders of three rationalist and leftist thinkers earlier this month as well as the killing of a Muslim man suspected to have eaten beef as evidence of increasing hostilities towards the freedom of speech. They have further accused Indian authorities of remaining silent amid such acts of violence.
“People are being murdered for their beliefs and opinions,” read a letter signed by a dozen filmmakers who returned one of India’s top awards on Wednesday. “There seems to be no attempt to unravel the larger picture and bring to book extremist groups that believe in ruthless violence to eliminate those who hold a counter view from theirs. There has been no official condemnation of these groups and we question this silence.”
The group also expressed solidarity with students at India’s top film school who have protested political appointments to their school’s administration. The students ended a four-month long strike but vowed to continue protesting the appointments from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right wing, Hindu nationalist party in other ways.
The movement first gained momentum when a group of more than 40 writers gave back award’s from a government-supported literary association earlier this month.
The protest is not just limited to those engaged in the arts, however.
On Thursday, prominent Indian scientists returned awards, including the country’s third most prestigious recognition for science.
The move was meant to condemn what one of the scientists called “the government’s attack on rationalism, reasoning, and science.”
Now I feel no sentimental attachment to [the award] when the government tries to institutionalize religion and curtail freedom and scientific spirit.
“Now I feel no sentimental attachment to [the award] when the government tries to institutionalize religion and curtail freedom and scientific spirit,” P.M. Bhargava, a molecular biologist, said.
The Indian government has been largely dismissive of the growing protest movement.
Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma has said that the returning of awards has “nothing to do with the government,” and claimed that it was merely a “personal choice.”
“If they say they are unable to write, let them first stop writing,” he told the Indian Express newspaper. “We will then see.”
Some Indian artists and scientists have taken issue with the their colleagues returning awards as a form of protest.
Madhur Bhandakar, an Indian film director, rebuffed what he called “selective activism” from his peers and warned that it would accomplish little.
“Returning awards is not just disrespect to you but to the audience who have appreciate your work,” he said.