Kerala Legislature International Book Festival inaugurated

Writer T. Padmanabhan, who was felicitated at the event, said that he has always used his writings to raise voice against the harmful effects of addiction, while some other writers did the opposite

Anti-drug messages reverberated at the inaugural event of the Kerala Legislature International Book Festival (KLIBF), which began on Monday at the Assembly premises with the tagline of ‘Reading is an addiction’, attempting to weave in the State government’s anti-drug campaign to the fair.

Writer T. Padmanabhan, who was felicitated at the event, said that he has always used his writings to raise voice against the harmful effects of addiction, while some other writers did the opposite.

“A majority of the respected writers of my generation have glorified the use of drugs in their works. But I have never done so. I have even raised my voice against it, for which I was branded as old-fashioned. I have experienced hunger in my childhood. Even in those days, reading has been my solace. Now, drugs are becoming a monster that is taking hold of our society. Our coming generations will be destroyed if this state of affairs continues. We have to wholeheartedly support the government’s fight against drugs,” he said.

Mr. Padmanabhan said that no other legislative assembly in the country has organised such a week-long literary festival. The Kerala Assembly deserves full credit for taking this step.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who inaugurated the event, said that reading is an addiction, which is beneficial and harmless. The danger that the State faces due to drugs would reduce considerably if people make it a habit to find happiness through such creative ways.

“This Assembly has had many eminent writers and cultural figures as its members, including E.M.S. Namboodirippad, Joseph Mundassery and Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan. Our State has elected writers like S.K. Pottekkatt to Parliament. Events like this will help in strengthening the relationship between politics and literature,” he said.

He lauded Mr.Padmanabhan’s contributions to Malayalam literature, with his writings spanning over seven decades. He has used his writings as a weapon to protect constitutional values whenever democracy and secularism were in peril, he said.