Sahitya Academy award winner Hansda Showvendra Sekhar’s ordeal may be coming to an end, with the Pakur district administration giving his book ‘The Adivasi will not dance’ a clean chit.
The Raghubar Das government had banned the book and suspended Sekhar from his position as a government doctor at Pakur immediately after the issue rocked the Jharkhand assembly’s monsoon session in August. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator Sita Soren alleged in the House that objectionable language was used in the book.
In the furore that followed, political leaders cutting across party lines demanded a ban on the book. Sekhar was suspended on the directive of health minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi in August, and a report on the matter was sought from the local administration.
Read | I am a tribal, will never insult my brethren: Hansda Showvendra Shekhar on book ban
Pakur deputy commissioner Dilip Kumar Jha, in his response, submitted that nothing in the book violates Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code (which deals with blasphemy). “There is nothing deliberate or malicious,” his report said, underlining that no FIR was lodged against the author. A copy of the report was tabled in the assembly on Tuesday.
{{/usCountry}}Pakur deputy commissioner Dilip Kumar Jha, in his response, submitted that nothing in the book violates Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code (which deals with blasphemy). “There is nothing deliberate or malicious,” his report said, underlining that no FIR was lodged against the author. A copy of the report was tabled in the assembly on Tuesday.
{{/usCountry}}Public relations department secretary Sanjay Kumar, who is also the principal secretary to the chief minister, said the government will consider the report before taking a call on the ban. “I am yet to see the Pakur district administration’s report,” he added.
Sekhar could not be reached for comment because his phone was switched off. He had earlier told the media that the book was a collection of short stories that highlighted the plight of the Santhal tribal population, especially women, who are subjected to sexual exploitation when they migrate to other states for employment.