Amjad Ali Khan supports artistes who returned awards
Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has extended support to the artistes and litterateurs who have returned their government awards and honours. Talking to journalists in Lucknow on Sunday, Khan said that their conduct was natural in the view of the situation prevailing in India.
LUCKNOW: Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has extended support to the artistes and litterateurs who have returned their government awards and honours.
Talking to mediapersons in Lucknow on Sunday, Khan said that their conduct was natural in the view of the situation prevailing in India.
Felicitated with the Naushad Samman in Lucknow on the day, the maestro said that he was keenly observing how things were unfolding in the country. He added that he could join the array of artistes who were returning their awards in protest.
Recommending that the government should constitute a committee to look into the reason behind the outburst of intellectuals in the country, Khan said, “Those who are returning awards are educated people. They are not mad.” He added that it was their pain that was getting reflected in their actions.
The Padma Vibhushan recipient also upheld people’s right to freedom of expression and said that they could express their concerns in a manner that they found suitable.
Supporting the idea that all those who lived in India were Indians, Khan said that there was a need to embrace people of all religions and communities. He cautioned that were terrorists in all religions and that no single religion should be targeted.
Khan also lamented the response of the audience in India to artistes, adding that Indian artistes were more respected in other countries. “Applause is what an artiste needs,” he said.
In the recent past several artistes and authors have returned their government honours. Recently, Urdu poet Munawwar Rana had returned his Sahitya Akademi Award.