“There was a lot of enthusiasm for the event as Geetanjali Shree was born in Mainpuri when her father was an IAS officer in this district of Agra division. The author did her schooling in different districts of Uttar Pradesh. It is really sad that the event had to be called off in such a manner,” said Anil Shukla from ‘Rangleela’ and Harvijay Bahia from ‘Agra Theatre Club’, in a joint statement as organisers, Hindustan Times reported.
Anil Shukla, one of the organisers heading ‘Rangleela’, was quoted as saying, “The complainant tweeted his ‘tehrir’ to the twitter handle of UP chief minister and UP DGP, seeking registration of FIR against Geetanjali. The Hathras police reportedly stated before local media that required action would be taken after studying the content of book.”
In a press statement issued to declare that the event had been called off, Shukla further said:
Shree is a celebrated Hindi writer with five novels and five short stories to her name. Her novel Ret Samadhitranslated into English as Tomb of Sand by Daisy Rockwell, is the first Hindi-language book to be shortlisted for the prestigious award.
The Booker Prize website hails the novel as an “urgent and timely protest against the destructive impact of borders and boundaries – whether between religions, countries or genders.”
(With inputs from Hindustan Times.)