Booker Winner's Agra Event Cancelled Over Alleged Remark On Deities

An event to honour International Booker Prize winner Geetanjali Shree in Agra on Saturday was called off by the organisers after a complaint was filed against the author alleging there are some objectionable comments about Indian deities in her novel. 

The felicitation event was to be hosted by cultural organisations Rangleela and Agra Theatre Club.

"The event was called off due to a controversy over a complaint against the International Booker prize winner Geenjali Shree," Anil Shukla, a functionary of Rangleela, told news agency PTI.

"A man named Sandeep Kumar Pathak from Sadabad in Hathras district has filed the complaint against the writer. In the complaint, he has blamed Geetanjali Shree for alleged objectionable comments on Lord Shiva and mother Parvati," he said. 

Spokesperson of the event, Rambharat Upadhyay said that in his complaint, Mr Pathak mentioned that the comments have "hurt the sentiments of Hindus".

In May, Ms Shree became the first Indian author to win the International Booker Prize in an Indian language, for her novel "Ret Samadhi", which was translated into English as "Tomb of Sand" by American translator Daisy Rockwell.

Set in north India, "Tomb of Sand" is the tale of 80-year-old Ma, who insists on travelling to Pakistan, simultaneously confronting the unresolved trauma of her teenage experiences of Partition, and re-evaluating what it means to be a mother, a daughter, a woman and a feminist.

Mr Upadhyay also said Mr Pathak had tweeted requesting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the DGP for an FIR against Shree.

Mr Shukla said people are disappointed over the cancellation of the event.