Tamil author and professor Perumal Murugan, who gave up writing after he was hounded by Hindu fundamentalist and caste groups, would join the faculty of the Presidency College in Chennai today. His wife, a member of the Tamil faculty, would join Queen Mary's College in the city. Both had sought transfer, fearing for their life in their hometown of Namakal, where they used to teach at the government college.
Hindu groups and caste outfits in Namakal had protested and even observed a bandh last month against Perumal Murugan's novel, Madhorubhagan, saying it showed their women and their temple in bad light. The novel had been published in 2010, and has also been translated in English, as One Part Woman.
The author had apologised and explained that it was a work of fiction. Sources close to Mr Murugan have said the police, who had arranged peace meetings with protesters, reportedly coerced him to sign an allegedly illegal agreement withdrawing the book.
Peeved, Perumal Murugan announced, "The writer in me is dead," and withdrew all his writings.
Authors and writers have appealed to Mr Murugan to resume writing. But people close to him say he's determined and it's too early now to expect a change of heart.
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