Marathi literary meet withdraws invite to Nayantara Sahgal

Organisers of the All India Marathi Literary meet have withdrawn the inaugural function invitation extended to noted English language author Nayantara Sahgal, who was at the forefront of the "awardwapsi" campaign, after "some people" threatened to disrupt the function.

The decision was taken to "avoid any untoward incident and in view of the controversy that has cropped up against her name", after a political outfit threatened to disrupt the function, organisers said Sunday.

Sahgal (91), a Sahitya Akademi awardee, was at the forefront of the 2015 "awardwapsi" campaign against the "growing intolerance in the country" under Modi government.

Sahgal is a member of the NehruGandhi family. She is the niece of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Sahgal was supposed to inaugurate the 92nd literary meet on January 11 in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Noted Marathi author Aruna Dhere will preside over the event.

In a press release issued Sunday, working president of the Literary Meet reception committee Ramakant Kolte said the organisers have taken cognisance of the threat given by a political outfit.

"Nayantara Sahgal's name was proposed by the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal chief Shreepad Joshi of Nagpur which was accepted by the organisers. A follow-up was taken by sending her a formal invitation," it stated.

The release stated the organisers have decided to revoke Sahgal's invitation, "as a controversy has cropped up against her name and to avoid any untoward incident from those who threatened to derail the literary meet".

"We have sent her a letter cancelling the invitation," Kolte said, adding that the new name for the inauguration function is yet to be finalised.