Dalip Kaur Tiwana

Facing heat over a long list of writers who have returned Sahitya Akademi awards or resigned from their posts in the literary body, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today denied that it was being soft on the issue of "intolerance" and said the ideological inclinations of the writers should be looked into.

Renowned Punjabi novelist Dalip Kaur Tiwana announced on Tuesday that she would return her Padma Shri award to protest against what she called attacks on freedom of speech in the country and communal violence.

Facing heat over a long list of writers who have returned Sahitya Akademi awards or resigned from their posts in the literary body, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today denied that it was being soft on the issue of "intolerance" and said the ideological inclinations of the writers should be looked into.

Renowned Punjabi novelist Dalip Kaur Tiwana announced on Tuesday that she would return her Padma Shri award to protest against what she called attacks on freedom of speech in the country and communal violence.