Citizenship Amendment Act protests: Urdu writer Mujtaba Hussain returns his Padma Shri award; says 'I am not happy with the situation today'

Amid nationwide protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act, Hyderabad-based Urdu writer Mujtaba Hussain has decided to return his Padma Shri award, saying he was not happy with the current situation in the country. [caption id=“attachment_7799551” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Mujtaba Hussain being awarded the Padma Shri by then-president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Photo via mujtabahussain.com[/caption] He alleged criminal activities were increasing day by day and democracy has come under threat in the country. “…The democratic set up built by Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Ambedkar, it is being broken…the voice of many people is being shut, many are being killed and poor people are not in a position to laugh, he told the Press Trust of India on Wednesday. Hussain was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour in the country, for his contributions to Urdu literature in 2007. He, however, said he would not hold the BJP responsible for the state of affairs and that standards have declined in politics. “Politicians used to be statesmen. Now, statesmanship has come to an end,” the 87-year-old writer said. Asked for the reason that made him return the award, he said, “I am not happy with the situation today. As a citizen, I am not happy in the country…mob lynching is happening, rapes are happening, criminal activities are growing day by day in the country, whoever is doing.” “Politicians are not running the government or goonda raj is happening or whatever is happening. The common man is worried… The common man is dying and there is no attention towards him(sic),” he added. Earlier last week senior Urdu journalist Shirin Dalvi returned her Maharashtra Rajya Sahitya Akademi Award as a mark of protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act enacted by the government. Urdu author and translator Yaqoob Yawar also decided to return the Uttar Pradesh State Urdu Academy Award that was bestowed upon him in 2018 for his literary contribution as a translator. —With inputs from Press Trust of India.