Writer Perumal Murugan had quit writing and withdrawn all his previous works in the face of protests against his latest book, 'Madhoroobagan'.
Novelist Perumal Murugan the novelist who gave up writing and telling the writer in him is dead now says his life is in danger.
The professor couple want to be transferred to Chennai from the government college they presently work at in Namakkal, Mr Murugan's hometown. Their house remains locked. His and his friends say they've moved away in fear. "His friends, neighbours and relatives are being intimidated. They feel that only if they move out of Namakal, they will have some sense of security," says AR Venkatachalapathy, a writer, professor and a good friend of Mr Murugan.
In past months, Perumal Murugan has been hounded by Hindu and caste-based outfits, opposing his novel 'Madhorubagan', which was first published in 2010. The book talks about an ancient tradition that allowed childless women to have sex outside marriage to bear a child. This story line led to protests in Namakkal, that he had insulted women and the local temple festival.
In this latest case, the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has now moved the Madras High Court to quash an agreement Mr Murugan was forced to sign, withdrawing his novel, at a peace meeting the Namakkal district administration had convened last month.
PUCL has also sought guidelines for the government to deal with such issues. "The excuse of law and order cannot be an excuse to barter away Fundamental Rights, because the Fundamental Rights cannot be the domain or cannot be the subject of compromises. Mobs today control free speech and expression and governments instead of their obligation to protect Fundamental Rights, actually side with the people who break the law," said Dr V Suresh general secretary of PUCL.
The Kongu region, from where Mr Murugan hails from, is the stronghold of the Gounder community, and political parties are unwilling to antagonise them over this issue. The state government's continued silence in this issue has pushed Perumal Murugan into a corner. While freedom of expression has become a casualty in his case, others hope the Madras High Court, which would hear the case on February 9, would come to their rescue.