Maharashtra CM: ‘Biased’ authors returning awards

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has strongly reacted to eminent authors returning their awards, calling their act “biased against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government”. The CM was of the view that a certain section is trying to create an ‘intellectual illusion’ against the BJP government at the Centre and litterateurs are becoming part of such efforts.

The chief minister also made it clear that the Muslim community in Maharashtra would not get any quota by indicating that reservation based on religion is not allowed in the Constitution and the Supreme Court had been rejecting such decisions time and again. He also termed the ongoing tussle with ally Shiv Sena on various matters as “petty issues”. Mr Fadnavis even opined that politics is a number game and the party that has a majority dominates the others.

The chief minister was speaking in a candid chat on the first anniversary of his government in Maharashtra. Reacting to the protest sparked off writers across the country over rising intolerance, he replied, “Modiji’s government cannot be targeted over corruption, indecision or inefficiency. Thus, a section is trying to create an intellectual illusion over intolerance to attack his government. I genuinely wish that litterateurs do not become part of their efforts. The day authors become biased against an individual, an actual communication gap is created.” “Keeping this in mind, I hope that litterateurs stop their protest now. The government is ready to return their awards to them with full honours if they are ready for the same,” he added.

To buttress his stand, Mr Fadnavis even referred towards two past incidents and asked why the writers had not protested against them. The CM referred to Khairlanji massacre, where a Dalit family was brutally murdered in 2006 and the assault on a Kerala professor whose hand was chopped off in 2010 for allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammad in a question paper. “I haven’t seen any such protest by the community at that time. Why was no resignation tendered then Why was there so much hesitation Weren’t the incidents against the right to freedom of expression ” Mr Fadnavis pointed out.

He then clarified that the Muslim community in Maharashtra would not get any reservation, criticising the previous Congress-NCP government. “It is improper to show dreams that are not in the Constitution,” he commented. He stated that the stand of the state government is very clear. “We wanted to work under the scope of the Constitution of India. The interim order of the high court last year was also based on that and hence the court rejected reservation in government jobs, which created a dichotomy,” he said.

“The ordinance has lapsed and a new law will not be introduced until the decision comes from the high court or Supreme Court on the matter,” he remarked, adding, “The government will have shown its readiness to give reservation to the community if it were allowed by the Constitution.”

He also termed the ongoing tussle with ally Shiv Sena on various issues as ‘petty issues’. He, however, opined that politics is a numbers game and the party that has the majority dominates the others. In the earlier term — 1995-99 — Shiv Sena had more numbers, but now the BJP has twice the strength of its ally.

“Earlier when they had more strength than us they used to have more ministers in the Cabinet. Now, our number is higher than theirs and thus we have more ministers. This is democracy. Everyone is aware of the facts and, knowing all the sides, we came together to run the government. However, differences are everywhere. Even within a family there are differences of opinion, but it is illogical (to think that) our government is going to fall based on this,” he stressed.