Surjit Patar too returns his Sahatya Akademy award

CHANDIGARH: Celebrated Punjab poet Surjit Patar today joined protest against rising intolerance in the country and curbs on freedom of speech by center government and returned his Sahatya Akademy award. He is sixth Punjabi writer to return the honour. Others who returned their Sahitya Akademy awards included Surjit Patar, Ajmer Aulakh, Atamjit, Gurbachan Singh Bbullar and Waryam Sandhu. Taraksheel Society founder and Punjabi writer Megh Raj Mitter has also returned the Shiromani Likhari award to Punjab Government and added one more reason of anti-farmer policies of the Parkash Singh Badal government in the state. Punjabi writers have responded to call by Association for Democratic rights Punjab to protest against murder of decorated writers MM Kalbargi in Karnatka recently and Narendera Dabholkar in 2013.Punjabi writers have responded to call by Association for Democratic rights Punjab to protest against murder of decorated writers MM Kalbargi in Karnatka recently and Narendera Dabholkar in 2013.