Writer K R Meera lashes out at Minister, MLA for being late to function

THRISSUR: Kerala Sahitya Akademi recipient and popular writer K R Meera lost her cool as she criticised a Kerala minister and MLA for being late to an event organized at Thrissur. The incident took place during an event conducted at Thrissur Punnyurkulam.

K R Meera attended the event to receive the Punnyurkulam Sahityavedi's first Madhavikutty award. Higher Education Minister Dr R Bindu and NK Akbar MLA were the special guests for the event. The program which was scheduled to start at 5 pm started at 5:30 pm while the minister and MLA made it to the event only at 6:45 pm. It was only after the minister’s address that K R Meera took the stage to express her disapproval of the delay caused by the event.

“Misogynist tendencies and toxic masculinity still prevail in our society. The minister and MLA would not have got late by more than 1 hour if the awardee was a male writer,” said K R Meera, who came from Kottayam to attend the event.

Many expected NK Akbar MLA, who spoke after K R Meera, to explain and assuage the situation. However, the MLA decided not to comment on the issue. Sahitya Samiti President KB Sukumaran presided over the function. K. Satchidanandan said the award was decided on K R Meera for her comprehensive contribution to the field of literature.