Jan 19 2015 : The Times of India (Delhi)
FOR FREE SPEECH - Reading of Tamil writer's banned book held at JNU
New Delhi:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
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Students, academics and authors tried to resuscitate free expression and the penmanship of Perumal Murugan who announced his death as a writer early last week. Several scholars, including a Tamil filmmaker, held a reading of his contentious book, and read extracts from a few other banned books.Murugan had to tender an unconditional apology for his book Mathorubagan and later announced renouncement of his literary pursuit which was reportedly under pressure as the district administration and the police did not stand by the author. A few community lead ers had said they were hurt by his book, in which the author dealt with practice of consensual free sex.
At an event organized by the Student Federation of India (SFI), hundreds of scholars met outside the administrative block and read parts from his book and held a discussion on his work. Among the participants were professors from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Leena Manimekalai, a Tamil filmmaker and poet.
“The gathering read extracts from Murugan’s book, AK Ramanujan’s ‘300 Ramayanas’, BR Ambedkar’s ‘Riddles in Hinduism’ and other works that have been banned in universities and libraries in our country,” said Shruti, a second year English MA student at JNU, and a member of SFI.
At an event organized by the Student Federation of India (SFI), hundreds of scholars met outside the administrative block and read parts from his book and held a discussion on his work. Among the participants were professors from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Leena Manimekalai, a Tamil filmmaker and poet.
“The gathering read extracts from Murugan’s book, AK Ramanujan’s ‘300 Ramayanas’, BR Ambedkar’s ‘Riddles in Hinduism’ and other works that have been banned in universities and libraries in our country,” said Shruti, a second year English MA student at JNU, and a member of SFI.
