Writers and intellectuals have moral responsibility to speak against intolerance, says writer

Writers & intellectuals have moral duty to respond to crisis in society. India's writers & thinkers must speak up against intolerance. Brute power & widening gap between wisdom & prejudice are causing mistrust. Leaders must treat all equally & not let power blind them. Book Kage Karunyada Kannu is reminder of forgotten wisdom & discriminations.

“All writers and intellectuals have a moral duty to respond to crisis in society. Writers and intellectuals of today’s India have the moral responsibility to speak about the rise of intolerance in the country,” writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa said in Belagavi on Sunday.

He was speaking during the release of his book, Kage Karunyada Kannu, at the Kannada Bhavan here. The event was organised by the Zilla Bandaya Sahitya Sanghatane and Manava Bandhutva Vedike.

“We are facing a crisis of rising intolerance. Brute power seems to have influenced our minds. The gap between wisdom and prejudice is widening; so is the mistrust between various groups. It seems as if communalism is ruling humanity. Writers and thinkers should rise up to the challenge,” he said.

“It seems as if all historians of the country have gone on leave. On the other hand, all the politicians who make up baseless stories about our history are mushrooming. Even stand-up comedians who are critical of the government are branded as traitors. Our leaders should realise that they should treat all people equally. They should not let power blind them as it will affect proper functioning of democracy,” he said.

He said that he has chosen to name his book on the common crow as mainstream culture seems to have forgotten the bird that is wiser than many other birds. “It is also a sign that we have not found a cure for some of the most common discriminations deep rooted in our minds,” Prof. Ramachandrappa said.