Gujarat: Journalist, humorist return Ratnakar awards in protest

Jay Vasavada, a Rajkot-based columnist, said he felt hurt by the statements made by the saints of Swaminarayan sect against Bapu and therefore he would return the Ratnakar award that he had been given by the Swaminarayan sect at an event in Sardhar village in Rajkot district in 2015 for his contributions to the field of writing. Vasavada said he would return the trophy and the Rs 21,000 cash that he had received as part of the award. “… I had accepted it (award) with happiness. It is conferred every year. It is a good thing and thank you for that. But it discomforts me to personally to hold on to this award today when the saints of their organisation have spoken in the manner belittling loving Bapu,” the columnist said. “As a bhavak (well-wisher) of Bapu, I do not feel it appropriate and moral to keep with me the citation given by them, as well as the Rs 21,000 cash that I got along with it,” Vasavada wrote in a Facebook post in Gujarati.

He said his returning the award was not a boycott. “There is nothing like any boycott here at all. However, the negative attitude of this particular organisation towards Bapu in general and Bapu’s bona fide assertions about the Sanatan Dharma has certainly pricked me,” the columnist added. He said he was not an agent of Bapu, just one of his followers.

In a video statement, Ahir, a humorist, said he had heard a statement made by Vivekswami, a Swaminarayan sect functionary from Bagasara in Amreli district. Ahir said he was returning his Ratnakar award because Vivekswami had insulted artists and Bapu. Ahir said that the swami had remarked that artists speak anything and take to the stage even drunk to win applause from the audience. “Such words do not behove the mouth of a saint. Then you clarified that you did not make that remark intentionally. This is like licking back one’s spit,” said Ahir. He continued: “Then you added that added that if you meant offence, you would not have conferred Ratnakar awards on artists at Sardhar. This is in fact nothing but one more insult. One does not (trumpet about) one’s acts of charity. You have failed to maintain decorum. Thirdly, no artist would be able to forget the words that you have used for Bapu. So, swamiji, we are respectfully returning the award you conferred on us.”

Ahir said he was not a disciple of Bapu in the conventional master-disciple tradition but added that he considered himself to be Bapu’s disciple in his mind.

Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS), one of the two main sub-sects of Swaminarayan sect had appealed on Monday to its swamis and followers to put an end to the controversy and maintain decorum. “Whatever has happened recently over the issue of religious feelings having been hurt has happened. “We humbly pray and request every saint and devotees, to every religious devout, saint and acharya to overcome any mutual grudge, discord and feud and strive and unite for unity, service and upliftment of the Sanatan Hindu religion,” a release from BAPS appealed.