Ashok Vajpeyi, a literary heavyweight, has returned the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award voicing displeasure over Dadri lynching incident and a string of killings of rationalists in the country.<br/><br/>Thus he joined a parade of litterateurs renouncing their coveted prizes, to protest "assault on right to freedom of both life and expression".<br/><br/>Vajpeyi's decision came close on the heels of celebrated writer Nayantara Sahgal yesterday returning the Sahitya Akademi Award.<br/><br/>Ashok Vajpeyi, who is a former chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's continued silence on the issues.<br/><br/>The 74-year-old Hindi poet also expressed disappointment over the failure of the Sahitya Akademi to "rise to the occasion" to protect the autonomy of writers.