BELAGAVI: The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry of the Union government is reportedly planning to revamp the Central Sahitya Akademi (CSA) which is the highest body of literary personalities of the country.
The ministry is thinking of changing the bylaws to introduce ‘selection’ of the members, president and vice-president of the CSA, replacing the present system of ‘election’ prevailing for the past 60 years.
Till now, the CSA president, vice-president and members are elected by various writers and literary organisations spread across the country. However, as most of the members are ‘leftist thinkers,’ the Centre seems to have decided to bring in change in the
CSA bylaws.
The government has appointed two retired IAS officers to contact various writers and to submit a report in this regard. Sources said the officials who have toured across the country and met various writers, had recently submitted a report.
According to CSA ‘insiders,’ most of the writers feel that the government should nominate the members as well as president and vice-president to the CSA. An urgent meeting is convened on January 15 in Delhi to discuss the report, sources added.
Interestingly, the report included the opinion of Kannada writer Chandrashekhar Kambar (vice-president of CSA).
According to the report, Kambar also opined that the government should nominate the body and opposed the process of election.
However, when contacted, Kambar said he was surprised to know that his name was mentioned in the report. Nobody had contacted me and I had not given any opinion on the issue, he said.
Kambar clarified that he would never support nomination to CSA, but would favour election as nomination will bring in a ‘slave culture’ in literature.
Protest Against Intolerance
Following the murder of rationalist and writer Dr M M Kalburgi, several members quit the CSA body protesting against the ‘intolerant atmosphere’ after Modi took charge as Prime Minister.
This has put the CSA in a trouble and the world has started to talk about the intolerant atmosphere in India.
Embarrassed by the resignation spree of the members, the Human Resource Development Ministry under which the CSA comes, decided to nominate such members who will never protest against the government on any issue.
The CSA has a history of more than 60 years and the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the first president of the CSA.
Interestingly, he also contested in the election for the president.
Arjun Golasangi, member of Kannada Advisory Board of CSA, said if the Centre is planning to bring in a change in the bylaw (nomination in place of election), he will strongly oppose it.
Prof Chandrakant Pokale, a writer who won a CSA award, said such decisions will defame the Centre and it should drop such ideas.