Arun Jaitley's statement ridiculous: Gogoi

Return of Sahitya Akademi Awards

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Oct 24: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi slammed Union Fince Minister Arun Jaitley’s statement on the return of Sahitya Akademi Awards by several writers in protests against the growing atmosphere of intolerance in the country as ‘maged and not real one’ as ridiculous.

In a statement here today, Gogoi said the comment made by Union Fince Minister Jaitley reeks of intolerance as ‘he has tried to dub the protests by several writers as ‘maged’ and ‘not real one’ thereby showing utter disrespect to their sentiments’. “The protests registered by several writers in returning the Sahitya Akademi Awards is a spontaneous one and not as termed by Jaitley as ‘maged and not real one.’ How can any right thinking person remain silent on the rising incidents of hatred and intolerance that pervade the atmosphere?” he quipped. Gogoi said the growing incidents of intolerance have brought a bad me for the country. “How can the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre claim India to be shinning when such incidents have sullied the image of the country before the rest of the world?” he wondered.