Sahgal invite row, Marathi literature body's chief quits

Nagpur (Mah): The president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, Shripad Joshi, resigned Wednesday.

The resignation came amid a controversy over withdrawal of invitation to writer Nayantara Sahgal for the annual Marathi literary meet by the event's organisers.

Opposition parties in Maharashtra have alleged that the invitation was cancelled at the behest of the ruling BJP.

The 92nd All-India Marathi Literary Meet ('Sahitya Sammelan'), held every year under the aegis of the Mahamandal, is to start at Yavatmal in eastern Maharashtra on January 11.

Secretary of the Mahamandal Dr Indrajit Oraker said Joshi sent the resignation to the president of the Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh. Joshi himself was not available for comments.

The organisers of the literary meet rescinded their invite to Sahgal, a noted Indian English writer, after protests on January 6. Sahgal was to inaugurate the meet. The Mahamandal, which is an umbrella body of Marathi literary organisations, had said the decision to withdraw the invitation was taken by the organisers.