At the Khushwant Singh litfest, there is nothing like nationalism to convert a prim and proper literary festival into an arena of verbal slugfest. I wonder on what merit did the organisers invite Kanhaiya Kumar — infamous for his seditious speech and anti-national views — and why did panellists share the stage with him People like him and Hardik Patel created a law and order situation, resulting in violence and loss of public property. More than these people, it is the politicians and the media that provide them with a platform to air their views and hold debates on irrelevant issues, adding fuel to the fire.

K.S. Padmanabhan Chennai