Author who returned Sahitya Akademi calls Chetan Bhagat a BJP spokesperson

Chetan Bhagat after getting trolled in social media for his jibe at authors returning Sahitya Akademi award is now getting flak from intellectuals. Eminent author Rajesh Joshi who returned Sahitya Akademi citing growing intolerance in the country has reacted sharply to Chetan's jibes. 

Speaking to a leading daily, Joshi accused Bhagat of being a BJP spokesperson. He also cast aspersions on Bhagat's literary abilities, branding him a 'pulp writer' and not a Vikram Seth or Salman Rushdie. 

Earlier Bhagat had tweeted,

Ok so am I also supposed to return my Sahitya Academy award? Oh wait. Haven't got it yet.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 8, 2015

So if u return an award how does it work? do u get to say everywhere I received it and returned it or u erase the memory of ever getting it?

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 12, 2015

Oh dear. Don't do that. Neither am I getting it and nor do you have to give up your biggest achievement. https://t.co/7u884VsQp8

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 12, 2015

Is there an award return office? And do they then zap you men in black style so you forget you ever got the award?

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 12, 2015

Accepting a reward and then returning it for demeans the award and the jury. It's posturing. It's politics.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 12, 2015

You don't like the govt in power, are u going to give up your passport? Your govt college degrees? Why just an award?

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 12, 2015

According to Joshi, Bhagat has defended the Modi government on 'indefensible' issues and questioned his stance on death of MM Kalburgi and Govind Pansare.