Collective of Tamil Creators, Readers, and Social Activists demands withdrawal of Jnanpith Award to Vairamuthu
The collective said Vairamuthu’s writings are nowhere close to reflecting Tamil society’s core values or its long-cherished cultural pride. A Collective of Tamil Creators, Readers, and Social Activists have urged that the Jnanpith Award to Vairamuthu be withdrawn immediately. The letter with 230 signatories, including writer Ambai, poet Sukumaran and actor Rohini among others, pointed out that granting this award to an undeserving individual would irrevocably erode the credibility and dignity of the award in the future. “Vairamuthu’s writings are nowhere close to reflecting Tamil society’s core values or its long-cherished cultural pride. Instead, his literary identity is defined by lowbrow writing, adorned with superficial and ornate rhetoric. Bestowing such a high honour upon a commercial writer basking in mere wordplay, whose works fail to reflect the genuine emotions of the people, is an insult to true literary stalwarts,” the letter stated. Noting that through the #MeToo movement nearly 18 women had publicly accused Vairamuthu of sexual harassment, they said that awarding an individual burdened with such long-standing moral stains is at odds with the …
