Bengaluru Literature Festival director, Vikram Sampat on Monday said that stepping down from the event was s personal decision and there was no pressure from anyone
He termed it a ‘painful decision’
“It was a very painful decision for me to take. There was no pressure, it was a personal decision which I made, and there was no threat from anyone. It is very important for me and the ideals for which it stand is more important than any individual. It’s India’s largest community funded festival where we have no corporate sponsorship ,media houses backing us, a platform which is independent, suddenly we have this bomb shell thrown on us that two Canada writers saying they were boycotting fest because of some views I held,” Sampat told ANI.
He said he disagreed with the ‘selective outrage’ of award-wapsi.
“Today everything is seen in black or white. I don’t subscribe to this whole concept of returning awards as a means of protest while I respect their opinion to do so. I questioned selective outrage of some of these eminent people, this was an intellectual standpoint,” he added.
Sampath stepped down as an organiser of the 4th edition of BLF after three participants objected to his ‘personal views’ against writers returning their award (award waapsi).
The two-day festival is scheduled to start here on December 5. (With ANI inputs).