PROBE SOUGHT INTO SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARDS
Date:15/03/2010
Irregularities in the selection of candidates for awards alleged
BERHAMPUR: Affairs of the Sahitya Akademi related to Oriya literature have surrounded by controversies following allegations regarding irregularities related to choice of candidates for rewards.
The Oriental Academy of Arts and Letters (OAAL), an organisation involved in the promotion of culture and literature in the State, has written to the president of the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi, Sunil Gangopadhyaya, to intervene and initiate investigation into the allegations to restore the prestige of the Sahitya Akademi. The OAAL has also sent copies of the letter with related documents regarding recent controversy to the office of the Prime Minister, Central Vigilance Commission and Union Culture Department urging investigation into allegations. Director of the OAAL, Narendra Narayan Das, has said the recent controversy sparked off from some serious allegations made by convener of Oriya advisory board of the Sahitya Akademi, Bibhuti Patnaik, at a literary function of the akademi held in Balasore on February 8. Mr. Patnaik has alleged that the procedure of nomination of litterateurs for coveted Sahitya Akademi awards is not transparent. He made a grave accusation that Prafulla Mohanty has managed to acquire akademi award by providing favour to one of the members of the jury, Manoranjan Dash. The allegation is related to the Kendriya Sahitya Akademi awards of 2004. The selection of Sahitya Akademi awards from Orissa have usually led to allegations and controversies in the past. The winner of Kendriya Sahitya Akademi award for translation in 1999 was forced to return the award when it became evident that the selection procedure was fraudulent.
Steps sought
The OAAL and several other literary personalities have demanded immediate measures to clean up the image of the Sahitya Akademi. Till now neither Mr. Mohanty nor Mr. Dash have refuted the charges made by Mr. Patnaik against them. The OAAL has urged the authorities to initiate investigation against Mr. Mohanty and Mr. Dash regarding the choice of Mr. Mohanty for the award in 2004. The OAAL director also said that investigation has to be initiated against the officials of the akademi as they have also not refuted the allegations made by Mr. Patnaik till now.
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The OAAL and several other literary personalities have demanded immediate measures to clean up the image of the Sahitya Akademi. Till now neither Mr. Mohanty nor Mr. Dash have refuted the charges made by Mr. Patnaik against them. The OAAL has urged the authorities to initiate investigation against Mr. Mohanty and Mr. Dash regarding the choice of Mr. Mohanty for the award in 2004. The OAAL director also said that investigation has to be initiated against the officials of the akademi as they have also not refuted the allegations made by Mr. Patnaik till now.
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