THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The selection of Tamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu for the fifth ONV Literary Award will be re-examined. The ONV Cultural Academy said the selection was made by a jury. The jury’s decision to review the selection came after a controversy erupted in the civil society on the appropriateness of giving the award to a person who has been accused of sexual misconduct in the #MeToo campaign.
Speaking to TNIE, filmmaker and ONV Cultural Academy chairman Adoor Gopalakrishnan said, “The decision was taken in the light of ONV’s name being dragged into the controversy. I think the jury must have felt that if the awardee is involved in such acts, it’s not right. It was the decision of the jury to review the selection.” He said the academy can’t ask the jury to reconsider or take any decision concerning the award as it is illegal and not morally right.
The award in memory of noted poet O N V Kurup is given every year to litterateurs and poets. The jury comprised Malayalam University Vice-Chancellor Anil Vallathol, poets Alankode Leelakrishnan and Prabha Varma. Aparna Rajeev, ONV’s granddaughter, said whatever the jury decides, the family will stand by it.