Delhi: Authors, thinkers, artistes, poets and public intellectuals from across India United for the third edition of Times Litfest Delhi on November 25 and 26.
On November 25, Eminent author Nayantara Sehgal received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Times Lit Fest Delhi at the India Habitat Centre. After receiving the award the Eminent author spoke about various issues and her controversial Award Return. she fired a series of salvos at the ruling dispensation, even saying that the Narendra Modi led NDA government is “a fascist regime” practising an undeclared dictatorship.
She said, “I would like to point out that dissent is no longer the right word. It is not intolerance to threaten and kill those you disagree with. It is murder. We rejected a religious identity at the time of independence despite being very religious people. We chose to be secular because every religion could have its pride of place in India. I am afraid it is no longer so”.
“We are under an undeclared dictatorship. Because people who disagree with the ideology of the establishment are threatened and murdered. There is a huge population out there living in constant fear. They are Muslims and Dalits. I want you to remember that we are living in times when Indians are killing Indians. And since they have ordered us not to speak, we are ensuring that we speak out loud at every chance that we get,” Sahgal added.
