Sahitya Akademi today said it is committed to freedom of expression and secular values. In a statement, Chairperson of the country's highest literary institution, Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, said Sahitya Akademi condemns attack on and murder of any writer or artist anywhere. <br/><br/>His response comes in the wake of several authors including Nayantara Sehgal, Sara Joseph, Uday Prakash and Ashok Vajpeyi returning their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against rising intolerance. Three eminent writers from Punjab – Gurbachan Bhullar, Ajmer Singh Aulakh and Atamjit Singh also announced today that they were returning their Akademi awards over the issue. <br/><br/>Mr Tiwari said the Akademi is committed to the core secular values enshrined in the Constitution and right to life.

Sahitya Akademi today said it is committed to freedom of expression and secular values. In a statement, Chairperson of the country's highest literary institution, Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, said Sahitya Akademi condemns attack on and murder of any writer or artist anywhere. <br/><br/>His response comes in the wake of several authors including Nayantara Sehgal, Sara Joseph, Uday Prakash and<br/>Ashok Vajpeyi returning their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against rising intolerance. Three eminent writers from Punjab – Gurbachan Bhullar, Ajmer Singh Aulakh and Atamjit Singh also announced today that they were returning their Akademi awards over the issue. <br/><br/>Mr Tiwari said the Akademi is committed to the core secular values enshrined in the Constitution and right to life.