Pune: Organisers of 92nd Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, to be held in Yavatmal, have withdrawn invite to Nayantara Sehgal, after receiving threats by miscreants opposing her presence in the programme. She was supposed to give inaugural speech at the festival to be held from January 11 to 13.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shetkari Nyay Samiti opposed her participation in the programme saying she is an English writer and Marathi writer should be invited.
Saheb Pawar of Shetkari Nyay Samiti that has opposed Ms Sehgal’s participation said, “We wanted Marathi person to deliver inaugural speech as we have many women and Jnanpith winners in Maharashtra. Sahitya Mahamandal has said that the literature festival is to promote Marathi literature then why Sehgal, who is an English writer, is invited. Our opposition is ideological.”
Raju Umbarkar of MNS also threatened to disrupt the event if she is invited. But later MNS’s stand became softer.
Dr Ramakant Kolte, organiser of the Sahitya Sammelan, in a press statement said, “Sahitya Mahamandal had suggested organising committee to invite Sehgal for inaugural programme and had sent an invite accordingly. But a couple of organisations have issues with the way of her writing and they had given statements in local newspapers that they would disrupt the event if she was invited. We have decided not to invite her in order to avoid any untoward incident in the event. She has been informed about it.”
Sripad Joshi, president of Sahitya Mahamandal also confirmed receiving threats to withdraw invitation given to Ms Sehgal.
Mr Joshi further added, “Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal respects freedom of speech of all writers. Organisers had to cancel her invitation due to local circumstances. We did not have any other option but to withdraw the invite as the literature festival itself was under threat.”
It is said that organisers didn’t want to take risk as she may have criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime in the state. However, organisers denied it.
