Kerala Sahitya Akademi president, K Satchidanandan, has voiced strong criticism against the inclusion of the LDF government’s second-anniversary advertisement in books published by the akademi. The controversy arose when writers took to Facebook, demanding the removal of the advertisement from the books.
In response, Kerala Sahitya Akademi secretary C P Aboobacker defended the decision, stating that the books were published as part of the LDF government’s anniversary programs. Aboobacker explained that the LDF government’s emblem was added to only 30 copies of the books to distinguish them from official publications. He further mentioned that the advertisement could be removed in new copies.
Disagreeing with the inclusion of the government’s emblem, Satchidanandan shared his thoughts on Facebook. He suggested that the matter should have been mentioned on the second page or announced during the book launches. He emphasized that only a few copies were affected and the advertisement could easily be removed in new editions. Satchidanandan emphasized the responsibility of the Sahitya Akademi to act impartially, as governments may change while books endure.
Prior to Satchidanandan’s remarks, writers such as Saradkutty, PF Mathews, Anvar Ali, and N E Sudheer had already criticized the government’s choice to use books for political campaigns. They argued that political advertisements should not be published in purely literary works.
Post Your Comments