Vasanth Bannadi, theatre personality, poet and writer, has decided to return the Karnataka Nataka Academy Award in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Speaking to The Hindu, on Monday, Mr. Bannadi said that both CAA and NRC would create problems not just for Muslims but also Hindus, especially the poor people and Adivasis, who are not likely to have maintained records. Even minor changes in the records will lead to problems, he said, adding that CAA and NRC were connected to one another. “It will divide the country,” he said.
“What I am even more opposed to is construction of detention centres to house those not having these documents. Though the government is saying no such detention centres are being built, it is not true,” he said.
Mr. Bannadi said that the government should not try to curb protests. “People have the right to express their anguish. Even when Anna Hazare had launched a public movement and staged a protest over the Lokpal issue, about six years, it was not stopped,” he said.
Mr. Bannadi got the Karnataka Nataka Academy Award for direction of plays in 2002. “I will talk to the president of the academy and will soon hand back the award along with the cash given to the academy,” he said. Mr. Bannadi retired as professor of commerce from Bhandarkars’ Arts and Science College at Kundapur in Udupi district four years ago. He is associated with Ranga Adhyayana Kendra of the college. He has directed over 58 plays and is also a poet with five collections of poems, and a collection of essays.
