Hyderabad Lit fest begins on a note of democratic spirit

Intolerance, which was a key talking point during last year’s Hyderabad Literary Festival, was raised in this year’s edition as well.

A 70-year-old Kama Ramulu belonging to a family of weavers has set shop at the ongoing Hyderabad Literary Festival. An upbeat Ramulu can be seen at his stall on Day One of the festival | vinay madapu

HYDERABAD: The seventh edition of Hyderabad Literary Festival started on Friday with a talk on ‘Plurality and Democratic spirit coming under assault in India and across the world’ by noted writer and poet Ashok Vajpeyi. Intolerance, which became a key talking point last year including at HLF, was raised at this year’s edition as well by Vajpeyi in his keynote address on ‘Literature in our times’ as he said, “Our times is that of growing intolerance.”

Kolam tribals from Adilabad district performing Ghusadi, a tribal dance, on the first day of the three-day-long Lit Fest in Hyderabad on Friday. They will be performing on all the three days | Sathya Keerthi

He said, “Despite violence, parochialism, crime, assault, and rapes, the state is watching mutely and complacently.” Meanwhile, the writer raised the issue of violence being meted out to dissenters, information seekers, women, minorities, Dalits and said that in India the idea of being liberal itself is coming under question. “Backward, regressive and reactionary ideas are being promoted in the country for which technology is also being put to use efficiently,” Vajpeyi pointed out.

He highlighted the need to protect higher educational and cultural institutions coming under attack from such ideas. The writer said, “Our capacity to destroy seems to have increased several fold as against our capacity to create.” Speaking on the skepticism prevailing in society of ‘others’, Vajpeyi said that the ‘others’ are coming under attack in the society which include linguistic to religious minorities, people from other caste or those who are ideologically different.

Philippines ambassador Ma Teresita C Daza, the guest of honour and Jayesh Ranjan, principal secretary of IT department were also present.