File photo of veteran journalist Mark Tully.
Veteran journalist Mark Tully said writers returning their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against growing intolerance is a matter of individual choice.
"This (whole issue of writers returning their awards) is a matter of individual choice. I don't want to interfere with their choice," the 79-year-old veteran journalist told PTI. He was asked whether the action of writers giving up their recognition was justified.
More than 35 authors have given up their Akademi awards and five others have relinquished their posts in the literary body protesting against the recent killing of writers and "rising intolerance" in the country.
They also accused the Akademi of not speaking out against the killings of writers and rationalists besides on incidents like Dadri lynching and ink attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni.
Yielding to these unrelenting protests by writers, the Akademi on Friday strongly condemned the killing of Kannada writer MM Kalburgi and others while urging litterateurs to take back awards they have returned.
The action of writers has earned the support of celebrated authors like Salman Rushdie and Vikram Seth.
PEN International, the world's leading association of writers working to promote literature and defend freedom of expression, has also stood in solidarity with the Indian authors and has urged the government to provide better protection for such individuals and safeguard free speech as guaranteed by the Constitution.