Sahitya Akademi must defend writers, says Keki Daruwalla

Eminent poet and short story writer Keki Daruwalla on Sunday said it is the Sahitya Akademi's responsibility to defend the writers whose rights are being encroached upon.

Daruwalla, who has written to the president of the Sahitya Akademi lamenting the lack of action after the murder of Kannada scholar and researcher M.M. Kalburgi, said the writers should also raise their voice.

"It was the Akademi's duty and absolute responsibility to defend the writers, there are writers whose rights are being encroached upon. I will also blame the writers for not raising their voice.. Writing a letter and condemning it is not enough, Sahitya Akademi should sit and find the solution," he told ANI.

Kalburgi was shot dead at point-blank range by two unidentified men at his residence in Dharwad on August 30.

Meanwhile, Daruwalla also condemned the Dadri lynching incident.

"You cannot force them to eat what you want them to eat. Cannot force anyone to think what you think," he said.

Mohammad Akhlaq was beaten to death and his son Danish was critically injured by a mob which barged into their house in Bisada village in Dadri on the night of September 28 following rumours that the family had consumed beef.