Eminent writer Nayantara Sahgal, the niece of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who returned her 'Sahitya Akademi' Award over the Dadri lynching case, said on Wednesday that the rampant 'Hindutva ideology' was ruining the name of Hindus in the nation.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

"The prevailing situation of the country is very pathetic. The Hindutva ideology which is going on in the country right now is ruining the name of the Hindus and as a Hindu myself, I am very hurt," Sahgal said.

A day ago Sehgal returned the Sahitya Akademi award in protest against increasing intolerance towards right to dissent in the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on the "reign of terror".

Sahgal, who received a Sahitya Akademi award in 1986 for her English novel 'Rich Like Us (1985)', said, "The ruling ideology today is a fascist ideology and that is what is worrying me now. We did not have a fascist government until now... I am doing whatever I believe in."

Citing various incidents of killings of writers and rationalists including M M Kalburgi and Govind Pansare, she alleged, "Rationalists who question superstition, anyone who questions any aspect of the ugly and dangerous distortion of Hinduism known as Hindutva whether in the intellectual or artistic sphere, or whether in terms of food habits and lifestyle are being marginalised, persecuted, or murdered."

Sahgal told PTI that "Modi is a politician who knows how to speak. He has given long speeches. On twitter and other social media he is vocal. He should be responsible for (what is happening) in the country."

The author further added that under Modi's government, "India is going backwards. It is rejecting our great idea of cultural diversity and debate and it is narrowing down to an invention called Hindutva."