Close on the heels of poet Balachandran Chullikkad's criticism of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, director and lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi has slammed the institution for insulting him. In a candid Facebook post, the writer said that the Akademi insulted him by asking him to write a Kerala song for the government and later disregarding it without notifying him.
According to Thampi, Kerala Sahitya Akademi President K Satchidanandan and Secretary C P Abubakar asked him to write a song on Kerala in simple words. Following this, he composed a song for the Akademi as requested within a week's time. However, he was asked to modify the first stanza of the song. The veteran lyricist changed the lyrics accordingly and sent it back. Though Satchidanandan acknowledged the modified song with a one-word reply, there was no word on its acceptance or rejection. Later, an advertisement was aired on the channels inviting submissins for the Kerala song.
“I was insulted by a prose poet after contributing 3000 songs to the industry. Minister of Culture Saji Cherian should answer for his humiliation,” he said in Facebook post. While speaking to Manorama News, Thampi also alleged that Satchinandan shunned his song due to personal vendetta.
Minister responds
Following the controversy, Minister Saji Cherian on Sunday said that he would speak to Sreekumaran Thampi and resolve the issue at the earliest. "The allegations raised by Sreekumaran Thampi are serious. Will talk to him in person and resolve the issue after verifying facts," he said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Secretary Abubakar responded that the academy had arrived at no decision regarding the Kerala song yet and that he had always been respectful towards Thampi.
Sreekumaran Thampi's disclosure comes after the controversy related to Balachandran Chullikad. Balachandran Chullikkad had slammed the Kerala Sahitya Akademi on social media for paying him only Rs 2,400 for a two-hour-long lecture on Kumaranasan's Karuna at the International Literary Festival of Kerala. “I had to pay as Rs 3,500 as taxi fare for travelling from Ernakulam to Thrissur,” he said.
