ONV Cultural Academy to review decision to grant literary prize to Vairamuthu

The academy's decision comes in the wake of mounting protests from various quarters to give the award to the Tamil song-writer and poet who is facing ''MeToo'' accusations. 

However, this reason was not cited in a one line statement issued to the press. 

In the statement, Academy president Adoor Gopalakrishnan said the decision to review this year's award was taken following suggestions from the jury. 

The award, being given to poets from Malayalam and other Indian languages by the ONV Cultural Academy here, comprises a cash prize of Rs 3,00,000 and citation. 

An expert jury, comprising Malayalam University vice- chancellor Anil Vallathol and poets Alankode Leelakrishnan and Prabha Varma selected the winner. 

Noted critic M Leelavathi had bagged the award last year. 

Also a novelist, Vairamuthu was conferred the Padma Shri in 2003 and Padma Bhushan in 2014. 

Celebrities including Malayalam actor Parvathy Thiruvothu had criticised the jury for choosing to honour Vairamuthu with the prestigious award constituted in the memory of legendary poet ONV Kurup. 

Parvathy had in an Instagram slammed the jury for disrespecting Kurup by selecting an ''accused of sexual assault'' as the winner. 

''ONV sir is our pride... Our hearts and minds have benefited through his body of work. This is exactly why it is immense disrespect to give such an honour in his name to the accused of sexual assault crimes,'' she wrote in a note.