Nationalism a piece of nonsense: Nayantara Sehgal

Dehradun, April 22

One of India’s foremost writers and the most prominent face of the 2015 ‘award wapsi’ campaign — authors returning their prestigious Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against the alleged intolerance in the country — Nayantara Sehgal, has said the issue of nationalism was insignificant and a piece of nonsense.

“Nationalism is a piece of nonsense. There is no need for a country that has been free for 70 years to suddenly shout about nationalism. Those who are raising this slogan today — the ruling party — were nowhere to be seen when India was fighting for freedom. They were fast asleep on their beds. So what are they shouting about now,” Sehgal asked the audience on the concluding day of the WIC India Dehradun Communnity Literature Festival.

The comments from the much acclaimed author came at a session titled “Nationalism in Digital India”. The panel, apart from Sehgal, also included writers Kiran Nagarkar, Nandita Haksar and Harsh Mader. The discussion was moderated by journalist Rana Ayyub.

Sehgal alleged a “deal” to make people fall in line. She said the ruling establishment wanted everybody to agree with their ideology — of Hindutva and of Hindutva of their definition — and that all those who are in disagreement with this propagation was at the receiving end.—IANS