Sculptor, Anish Kapoor's voice for writers

London, Oct. 29: Anish Kapoor, the British Indian sculptor, today expressed support for Indian writers who are returning their literary awards.
He said in a statement today: "I stand alongside my colleague artists of India in solidarity with the courageous action of our writers, who have relinquished their awards in protest against intolerance in our country."
"Art can only have a home where there is tolerance," he said. "Fascism does not allow the possibility of creativity."
"All good-thinking Indians will recognise the atmosphere of intolerance and intimidation that prevails in our Indian society today, as having the hallmarks of self-righteous exclusion that keeps out all those who are different or even those who dare to think differently," he said.
"How then can we find the creativity or the possibility of expression in this atmosphere of fear?" he went on.
"Our government encourages the hate that lies dormant in our great Indian psyche," he maintained. "Can our leaders not see that our tradition has always thrived on our openness and tolerance?"
Modi, who comes to Britain in mid-November, may not want to share shrikhand with Kapoor who said: "We artists call for an end to murder and injustice in the name of the majority."