Amid tension in several parts of the country over the passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Senior Urdu journalist Shirin Dalvi has decided to return State Sahitya Akademi Award in protest against the bill. The award was given to her by Maharashtra Rajya Urdu Sahiya Akademi in 2011.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is divisive and discriminatory. I am returning this award to join the voices of my community and people fighting for secularism and democracy. We all have to stand firm to protect our Constitution and Ganga Jamuna Tahzib,” said Dalvi in a statement.
The statement was put up on social media. Dalvi, who hails from Mumbai, in her note expressed her disappointment with the passage of CAB in both the house of Parliament.
The passage of CAB in an attack on our constitution and secularism. In protest against this inhuman law I am announcing that I would return State Sahitya Academy Award given to me on my literary contribution in the year 2011,” said Shirin Dalvi.
"I am saddened and shocked at the news of the passing of the bill,” Dalvi told The Wire.
Senior Urdu journalist and writer Shirin Dalvi has decided to return State Sahitya Akadami Award in the protest against #CAB2019 . Following is the message from her.#CAB_नहीं_चलेगा #CitizenshipAmmendmentBill2019 pic.twitter.com/4R7zaIkcZL
— Mahtab महताब مہتاب (@MahtabNama) December 12, 2019
Dalvi is a prominent Urdu writer who handled the Mumbai edition of the Avadhnama, an Urdu newspaper. She was arrested in 2015 for republishing cartoons (of Prophet Mohammed) published by Charlie Hebdo. However, Dalvi was released on bail later.
Dalvi, a champion of free speech, said that as her age doesn’t allow her to participate much in physical protests so she has decided to return the award.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill which has now become a law aims to provide citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis who got into India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan while leaving Muslims.
Also Read - Congress Against CAB In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena's Stand Still Not Clear
The CAB was passed in both the Houses of Parliament after a heated debate and since then the protests in Assam have intensified. The students have come out in various central universities to protest against the ‘anti-Muslim’ bill.
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