Panaji: Gomantak Bhandari Samaj on Saturday demanded that the first information report (FIR) filed against poet Vishnu Surya Wagh at the Ponda police station be withdrawn forthwith and the government review its decision on scrapping of the state literary awards.
"Controversy has been created against Wagh's poetry as he belongs to the Bahujan samaj and unable to defend himself owing to health reasons. No one would have dared to challenge him if he was in the pink of his health,'' said Anil Hoble, president of the Samaj.
"Wagh has had many accolades to his credit for his literary contribution. Denying him one award will not affect his credibility as a writer. The government should present the remaining 31 awards to the artistes, whose names remain undisclosed,'' said Upendra Gaonkar, general secretary, Gomantak Bhandari Samaj.
Executive member of the samaj, Rohidas Naik demanded that a special committee be instituted to solve this tangle. "We want the FIR to be withdrawn. Wagh's poems are based on his personal experiences with people," Naik said .
"Controversy has been created against Wagh's poetry as he belongs to the Bahujan samaj and unable to defend himself owing to health reasons. No one would have dared to challenge him if he was in the pink of his health,'' said Anil Hoble, president of the Samaj.
"Wagh has had many accolades to his credit for his literary contribution. Denying him one award will not affect his credibility as a writer. The government should present the remaining 31 awards to the artistes, whose names remain undisclosed,'' said Upendra Gaonkar, general secretary, Gomantak Bhandari Samaj.
Executive member of the samaj, Rohidas Naik demanded that a special committee be instituted to solve this tangle. "We want the FIR to be withdrawn. Wagh's poems are based on his personal experiences with people," Naik said .
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