BARNALA: To contain the rising temperature in literary circles over the arrest of two writers and publishers, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal
has directed his support staff to diffuse the situation by solving the
vexed tangle arising out of castiest words in celebrated kavishar(folk
poet) Rajab Ali' poetry. Badal assured a visiting delegation of solving
the issue, soon. Badal has asked his special principal secretary KJS
Cheema and advisor Harcharan Bains to find ways to get the writers and publishers
out of the mess. A delegation of writers, farmer and employees union
representatives and led by Sahitya Akademy award winner author Baldev
Sadaknama on Wednesday called upon Badal at his office. The activists
asked the CM to intervene and ensure the case registered against them
under SC/ST charges along with other sections of IPC is withdrawn.
"Badal gave the delegation a patient hearing and assured to get the
writers, publishers out of the case", said Baldev Sadaknama.
Sadaknama said the support staff apprised the delegation members that state government is taking the utmost care in the issue as deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had convened a meeting with authorities of Punjab based universities and wanted to delete objectionable, derogatory words having been used in various books. Citing that, the support staff asked the publishers to delete such words from books, which could cause unrest among any community. Prof. Jaswinder Singh Brar, Prof. Lakhwinder Singh, Prof. Kesar Singh Bhangoo, Inderjit Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Dr. Umrao Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala has assailed state step and said the recent arrests of publishers and book editors by Punjab police for reproducing works of Punjabi poet Babu Rajab Ali raises a serious threat to the question of academic freedom. We condemn this thoughtless and irresponsible act of Punjab police and Punjab government.
Barnala based publisher Amit Mittar, Ashok Garg of Samana and writers Jagjit Singh of village Sahoke, Sukhwinder Singh of village Pakka Kalan in Bathinda were booked on September 15 and were arrested for using caste denoting words in books Gatha soormian di and Anokha Rajab Ali. Both the books contain poetry of Rajab Ali having been written many decades back. Though Ashok Garg and Sukhwinder Singh have got bail but both Amit and Jagjit Singh still are languishing in Barnala jail. Highly acclaimed writers and Padam shri Gurdial singh, Surjit Patar apart from scores of other authors, members of various trade unions of Punjab have assailed the state move of arresting the writers, publishers only for reprinting the poetry of celebrated poet of the yore.
Sadaknama said the support staff apprised the delegation members that state government is taking the utmost care in the issue as deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had convened a meeting with authorities of Punjab based universities and wanted to delete objectionable, derogatory words having been used in various books. Citing that, the support staff asked the publishers to delete such words from books, which could cause unrest among any community. Prof. Jaswinder Singh Brar, Prof. Lakhwinder Singh, Prof. Kesar Singh Bhangoo, Inderjit Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Dr. Umrao Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala has assailed state step and said the recent arrests of publishers and book editors by Punjab police for reproducing works of Punjabi poet Babu Rajab Ali raises a serious threat to the question of academic freedom. We condemn this thoughtless and irresponsible act of Punjab police and Punjab government.
Barnala based publisher Amit Mittar, Ashok Garg of Samana and writers Jagjit Singh of village Sahoke, Sukhwinder Singh of village Pakka Kalan in Bathinda were booked on September 15 and were arrested for using caste denoting words in books Gatha soormian di and Anokha Rajab Ali. Both the books contain poetry of Rajab Ali having been written many decades back. Though Ashok Garg and Sukhwinder Singh have got bail but both Amit and Jagjit Singh still are languishing in Barnala jail. Highly acclaimed writers and Padam shri Gurdial singh, Surjit Patar apart from scores of other authors, members of various trade unions of Punjab have assailed the state move of arresting the writers, publishers only for reprinting the poetry of celebrated poet of the yore.
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