Indian activist and actor Nandita Das on Thursday announced she will not be attending the Karachi Literature Festival, scheduled to begin from tomorrow, due to bad health.
The actor made the announcement on her Facebook page, citing only medical reasons for her refusal to attend the fest.
Das went on to explain that her decision to not attend the event was not in any way related to the Anupam Kher, who was allegedly denied Pakistani visa to attend the literature festival in Karachi.
“I have been unwell since yesterday and unfortunately I am unable to go Karachi. I felt terrible letting down the organisers but it’s beyond my control. I had offered to do the sessions via Skype to make sure one can participate and the intent with which the Lit Fest is organised, is upheld,” read the post.
About the Anupam Kher’s visa issue, Das explained that even if Pakistan’s bureaucracy came in the of way of issuance of visa, she would separate this bureaucratic roadblock from genuine efforts to strengthen friendship between the two countries.
“People’s intention and efforts build bridges and have to be separated from government policies and positions,” said Nandita.
She also expressed displeasure over Kher’s remarks terming her anti-national and asking her to remain silent on the issue, by saying that dubbing people who disagree with you as anti-nationals diminishes the possibility of dialogue.
Nandita was of the view that It wasn’t becoming of Padma Bhushan recipient like Kher to say on television that Nandita should be quiet.
Bollywood veteran Anupam Kher had said on Tuesday he had been denied visa for Pakistan, where he was invited to participate festival beginning on Feb 5, because the “Pakistan’s interior ministry did not issue a no-objection certificate” for his visa.
Following vitriol on Twitter against the alleged visa denial, Kher also addressed a press conference, where he read out his correspondence with the KLF organisers in Pakistan.
Nandita and Kher were two of the several luminaries from India, including transgender rights activist Laxmi Tripathi and Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, who are scheduled to speak at the KLF this weekend.