The organisers of the Jaipur Literature Festival handed over a video of author and sociologist Ashis Nandy’s alleged remarks saying people from the SC, ST and OBC communities were the most corrupt.
Mr Nandy left Jaipur amid protests against him from members of these communities and skipped an important session of the festival. He left the city because his family was worried and told him to leave, said festival producer Sanjoy Roy.
The police initiated investigations against Mr Nandy and recovered the videotape. “We got the video and the investigation has been given to a senior police officer,” said Jaipur additional police commissioner Giriraj Meena. The SC/ST Manch’s Rajaram Meena had lodged an FIR against the author under the SC/ST Act.
Book-lovers were waiting for Mr Nandy on Sunday as he was to be a panellist in a discussion titled “Hindi English Bhai Bhai”, but he skipped the session. The organisers, however, had a meeting with Independent MP from Dausa Kirdoi Lal Meena on Saturday evening and claimed the issue had been resolved. But that hope proved short-lived. A group of SC/ST students reached the festival venue and staged a protest. The BJP’s SC Morcha also organised a protest against Mr Nandy.
Mr Nandy won support from the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, which condemned the registering of an FIR against him.
“It is wrong to proceed with a criminal complaint against him, it is like one restricting academic freedom and debate,” said PUCL general secretary Kavita Srivastava.