Renowned Urdu writer Mujtaba Hussain on Tuesday announced to return Padma Shri award to the government as a protest against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
“Mera dam ghut raha hai. Mera zameer mujh par malamat kar raha hai. Main aur zyada sabr nahin kar sakta (I am feeling suffocated. My conscience is pricking me. I can’t be more patient than this),” Hussain said, as quoted in reports.
Hussain was awarded the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award in 2007. Hussain has authored scores of books and is also considered as one of the most well-known humour writers in Hindi, since almost all his essays have been translated in Hindi.
The writer expressed concerned over the hatred and fear created among the community through the Citizenship Amendment Act and proposed National Register of Citizens.
The passing of the CAA has resulted in protests by various student unions at universities and civil society groups across the country, demanding a rollback.
