Guwahati: Adivasi poet and activist Jacinta Kerketta has rejected a literary award by the India Today Group protesting against the media’s silence on Manipur violence.
She rejected the Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Udyman Pratibha Samman, a literary prize awarded by the India Today group to honour achievements in vernacular literature.
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The rejection comes in protest against the ongoing violence in Manipur and the silence of the mainstream media on the issue.
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Kerketta, who is known for her vocal support of the Adivasi cause, says that she cannot accept the award in good conscience while Adivasis are being attacked across the country.
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She also criticizes the mainstream media for their lack of coverage of the violence in Manipur, which she says has resulted in the deaths of over 180 people and displaced around 60,000 others.
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It may be mentioned that Manipur has been witnessing the violence since May and has been in internet shutdown for more than 200 days now.
In a social media post, Jacinta Kerketta wrote, “When the Adivasis are attacked across the country – when the tribals in Manipur are suffering every day – when the glories of Adivasi lives have been decimated – how can any award excite the writers and poets?”