LUCKNOW: ‘Ret Samadhi’ (Tomb of Sand), which won its author Geetanjali Shree the prestigious Booker Prize-2022, has courted controversy leading to the cancellation of an event to felicitate Geetanjali organised by Agra-based cultural and a theatre groups. The event was due to take place on Saturday.
The event had to be organized by two organisations of Agra – ‘Rangleela’, involved in the promotion and revival of theatre activities and ‘Agra Theatre Club.’
As per the organisers of the event, the controversy was kicked up on the content of the novel after a police complaint against it was filed in Hathras. Complainant Sandeep Kumar Pathak of Sadabad in Hathras claimed that the author had allegedly given objectionable reference to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in her book hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.
Issuing a joint statement, the organisers – Anil Shukla of ‘Rangeela’ and Harvijay Bahia of ‘Agra Theatre Club’-- said that it was unfortunate that they could not felicitate Geetanjali Shree who was born in Mainpuri and did her schooling and college from different institutions of the state. Moreover, her father was an IAS officer who was posted in Agra division for a respectable period.
“It is really sad that the event had to be called off in such a manner,” said the organisers in the joint statement.
They claimed that complainant Sandeep Kumar Pathak submitted a ‘tehrir’ (written complaint) at Kotwali police station in Hathras against Geetanjali Shree and tweeted the complaint tagging UP CM and UP DGP, seeking registration of FIR against Geetanjali.
However, the Hathras police reportedly stated before local media that they would proceed in the case only after studying the content of book, claimed Anil Shukla.
The organisers also claimed that earlier, there was a failed attempt made allegedly by a group of ABVP to sabotage her event organised by the teachers’ union at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi a couple of days ago.
Disturbed over the turn of events, author Geetanjali Shree had apparently decided to stay away from public events for some time, they said.
However, attempts to contact the author went in vain as the person. Geetanjali Shree is a celebrated Hindi writer who has five novels and five short stories to her credit. Her fifth novel, ‘Ret Samadhi’, was translated into English as ‘Tomb of Sand’ by American translator and writer Daisy Rockwell. This creation of Geetanjali won her the prestigious International Booker Prize in May.