I’m writing to express my concern about the recent newspaper reports that I have reconsidered my decision and taken back the Sahitya Akademi Award, which I returned in October, 2015. As you know, I returned that award in protest against the Akademi’s silence over the murder of Kannada writer, MM Kalburgi, and earlier of Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare in Maharashtra. Let me make it clear that I have in no way reconsidered my decision. My protest and that of other writers continues against the continuing attacks on freedom of expression. It is the Sahitya Akademi which should have done some reconsidering since your letter says that the Akademi has no policy of accepting returned awards and therefore you wish to return the cheque for one lakh which I sent you. The Akademi has taken so many months to make this statement of policy. The cheque I sent you in October is, in any case, no longer valid. Let me repeat that there has been no reconsidering on my part. If you are returning my now invalid cheque as a result of the Akademi’s new announcement of policy, that is your decision, not mine.