New Delhi: Noted writer C Radhakrishnan resigned as the eminent member of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi. 

In his resignation addressed to the secretary of the Akademi, Radhakrishnan contended that he is resigning in protest against the inauguration of this year’s Akademi festival by a Union Minister who has nothing to do with literature. This year’s literary festival was inaugurated by Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. 

The festival programme brochure described the event as the ‘Inauguration of the Akademi exhibition’ without mentioning the name of the chief guest or the dignitaries attending. Details of the programme with the minister’s name were released later. 

"I strongly protest against this year's Akademi Festival having been inaugurated by a cabinet minister of the Government of India, a person without any known credential whatsoever in literature. (Of course, the Festival Program Brochure did not carry his or anybody's name. It described the event as the 'Inauguration of the Akademi Exhibition' without mentioning the name of the inaugurator. The program detail with his name was later issued as a special invite card. Strange that the Akademi wanted this person so badly that it waited till it became clear that the declaration of the General Elections would not make the Akademi out of bounds for him," he said in his resignation.

"As you very well know the far-sighted Founding Fathers of the Sahitya Akademi gave it a constitution capable of resisting all attempts to undermine the democratic autonomy of this institution and enable it to survive unmolested. Political bosses are now reported to be smarting even to redraft the constitution of the Akademi! Sorry, I can't be a silent witness to the funeral of the very last democratically autonomous institution of culture in the nation."

He also reminded the secretary of the relentless battles waged against the attempts to politically influence the Akademi during his five years as a member of the executive committee.

“I would like to clarify that I am not against any particular political party. I protest against the politicisation of the administration of culture eroding the independent stature of the Akademi. You know the other two Akademies have been robbed of their autonomy since a long while ago. I hope and pray my fellow writers young and old would realise the severe danger this Akademi too is drifting towards," he said.