Journalist Faye D’Souza on Saturday was dropped from a list of speakers scheduled to address an event sponsored by the Goa government because of her critical views about the Citizenship Amendment Act, PTI reported.
D’Souza was scheduled to address the annual DD Kosambi Festival of Ideas on January 29. “She was shortlisted but we were told she speaks against the CAA,” state Art and Culture Minister Govind Gawade said at a press conference. “We wanted to avoid mess and chaos around the event.”
The minister said the organisers of the government-sponsored event did not want any controversy. “It is such a huge festival,” Gawade added. “We do not want to be in a contradictory position.”
The minister clarified that his ministry had decided not to invite the journalist and the offices of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had nothing to do with it. “The PM and the CM have always said that they are ready for a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act,” Gawade said. “There was no question of any instructions coming from them.”
D’Souza, meanwhile, told The Indian Express that she declined the Goa government’s invitation because of “other work commitments” in Mumbai.
Goa Congress spokesperson Trajano D’Mello criticised the government decision. “The Goa government has once again proved, that it is all out against freedom of expression,” she added. “This time it has used the art and culture minister to drop Faye D’Souza from the list of speakers.”
Also read: ‘Is the government reading the Constitution?’: Watch Faye D’Souza’s story at Spoken Fest 2020
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