Eminent Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana announced that she will return her Padma Shri in protest against the rising communal tension in the country. She wrote in a letter to the Central government that, to kill those who stand for truth and justice put us to shame in the eyes of the world and God. <br/><br/>Tiwana thus joins the 23 writers and poets who have returned their prestigious Sahitya Akademi awards. She was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2004. She was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971. <br/><br/>Earlier, Maya Krishna Rao has returned her Sangeet Natak Akademi award. Joining the bandwagon of protesters, several writers have returned their State Sahitya Akademi awards, and 5 litterateurs have resigned from Sahitya Akademi posts.

Eminent Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana announced that she will return her Padma Shri in protest against the rising communal tension in the country. She wrote in a letter to the Central government that, to kill those who stand for truth and justice put us to shame in the eyes of the world and God. <br/><br/>Tiwana thus joins the 23 writers and poets have returned their prestigious Sahitya Akademi awards. She was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2004. She was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971.