CHENNAI: The family of late poet Inqulab (born as Shahul Hameed) has decided not to accept the Sahitya Akademi award announced for him, the poet's son said on Thursday.
The Sahitya Akademi announced the award on Thursday in New Delhi for Inqulab's collection of poems.
"My father was not running behind any award. He wrote expecting action by authorities against him and not expecting any award. He had told us that he will decline the Sahitya Akademi award, if he was given one," S. Inqulab, Assistant Professor at Quaide Milleth College near here, told IANS.
"My father would have certainly declined the award if he was alive today. If we accept the award now, it will be an insult to him," S. Inqulab said.
He said the late poet had returned the Kalaimamani Award given by the Tamil Nadu government to protest against the state government's alleged failure to protect Sri Lankan Tamils.
According to him, the award at this stage when there are reasons for the people to struggle is not right.
The late poet's song 'Manushangada Naanga Manushangada' (we are humans) has become an anthem to be played at Dalit meetings. Through his writing, Inqulab condemned the burning alive of 44 agricultural labourers in 1968 in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu.