Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis slams writers, filmmakers  and scientists for returning their awards. Fadnavis today lashed out against the growing sentiment of returning awards instituted by the government -- Sahitya Akademi Awards, Padma awards, National awards -- and cited examples of intolerance during the Congress rule that had been met with silence.  


Around 40 writers and 12 filmmakers have returned their state awards in protest against the growing intolerance in the country and the murders of Kannada writer and Sahitya Akademi Award winner MM Kalburgi and anti-superstition activists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.


Fadnavis asked why there was no awardwapsi (as the return of awards is being labelled) when professor TJ Joseph's hand was chopped off in 2010 for alleged blasphemy.


He asked why was there complete silence from writers, scientists etc, during the Khairlanji killings. In September 2006, four members of the Bhotmange family belonging to a Dalit caste were murdered by upper caste men. He said the murders had happened during the Congress-NCP rule.


Fadnavis said it was unfair to blame the BJP for the Dadri killing, when in fact it had happened in Samajwadi Party-ruled  Uttar Pradesh.  


The lynching of a 55-year-old Muslim man, Mohammad Ikhlaq, by a mob in Bisada village of Uttar Pradesh last month following rumours that he slaughtered a calf triggered a wave of protests against attacks on freedom of choice.


Fadnavis also asked why there was no award wapsi during the Godhra killings of 2002. He said it was not good if writers become biased.