Srinagar (Kashmir), May 1, KDC: Writers, intellectuals, poets and literary activists on Monday lambasted Sahitiya Akademi New Delhi for ‘gifting’ several awards in an unfair means to non-entities while approving the substandard books.
Writers, intellectuals, poets and literary activists on Monday met under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Council (JKCC)-an umbrella organization blamed Sahitiya Akademi of promoting sub-standard literature from last few years.
JKCC in a statement to Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com said that Sahitiyia Akademi is being deceived by few people who are managing their award jury committees and other assignments.
“Few people who present themselves as well wishers of Sahitya Akdemi are ruining its ethos and culture by deceit, deception and mockery they are making using unfair and inappropriate means to reap benefits from the Akdemi,” they said.
“Many awards from last few years are managed and ‘gifted’ to non-entities that have no literary base” JKCC Said. JKCC sharing details said that from Convener and award jury committees to conferring of an award, everything is managed and manufactured.
“people representing Kashmiri in Sahitiya Akademi have a long history of deceit and distortion, they first manage to send an individual inside the Akadmi, later install a convener with the apparent feeing of so called elections later committees of selected people are constituted in connivance with Sahitiya Akdemi administration to favor the low grade writers of their choice,” JKCC said and alleged that Sahitiya Akadmi assignments are first disturbed with mutual consent, later Akademi is informed to initiate the process to give an impression of false fairness.”
Demanding review and revaluation of all books awarded from last few years, JKCC said that Akadmi should re-read and review books awarded from the year 2014 onwards especially the awards ‘gifted’ in years 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022.”
“substandard and unimportant books were awarded especially in 2021, ignoring a lot of genuine literature, these awards were managed and compromised and nobody aid nay heed besides massive dissent was expressed,” JKCC said.
Without naming any writer, JKCC said that huge chunk of genuine writers and standard literature is being ignored as the compromised award jury and other committees are being installed to reach our benefits to few chosen substandard writers.
“Akadmi and its doubtful representatives of Kashmiri language are managing awards, committees and conveners from decades together and Akdemi is ignoring the repeated please which goes against the decorum and ethos of a premier institute like Sahitya Akdemi” JKCC said.
“A small number of genuine writers have got award but that is just to conceal the horrendous deceit of benefiting the major chunk of literary dacoits” JKCC said.
JKCC demanded revaluation and review of all doubtful awards, reassessment of committees constituted and procedure followed in installing the new convener.
Earlier writers and literary activist accused Sahitiya Akdemi of mishandling Kashmir affairs accused the Akademi administration of promoting few ‘chosen’ individuals who have ambiguous credentials and are illegally running the Kashmir literary affairs from Sahitya Akademi from last more than two decades without contributing anything good to the literary scene, alleged poets and writers. (KDC)
