Girish Karnad withdraws resignation from Goa Council
Noted playwright and actor Girish Karnard, who had quit from a state panel expressing shock over the Goa government's silence over attacks on artist Jose Pereira, today withdrew his resignation.
"I spoke to Karnad and he has withdrawn his resignation from the Golden Jubilee Development Council," Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told PTI this evening.
Karnad had resigned last week expressing shock over state government's silence on protests against the art exhibition.
Kamat said he called up Karnad and convinced him not to resign from the council, constituted to chalk out roadmap for Goa's future. Raghunath Mashelkar, eminent scientist, is heading the council.
"I am happy that Karnad reconsidered his decision to resign," Kamat said.
"Let me say how deeply shocked I am to hear of the attacks by self-styled standard-bearers of Hindu culture on the works of Jose Pereira, a scholar and an artist of eminence," Karnad had said in his letter written to the chief minister.
Right wing Hindu organisation - Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, had objected to the paintings after they allegedly portrayed Shiva and Krishna in nude.
"I am horrified that private vigilante groups should be permitted to take law into their hands while the state stands mute and the police express inability to protect the exhibition of his work," Karnad had said.
"I should like to withdraw my name from the high-level committee which you were kind enough to invite me to serve on since this is not the culture of liberation I had hoped to celebrate," he had said.
