THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister Saji Cherian reacts to the controversy related to Kerala Sahitya Academy's International Literature Festival. The minister said that what poet Balachandran Chullikkad said was important and it was the office that made the mistake. The minister also informed that he called Chullikkad over the phone and expressed his regret. Fests are paid for, but for not all that is asked. The minister said that the issue is not about the money but the consideration given to the writers.

Balachandran Chullikkad had earlier come out against the Kerala Sahitya Academy. He had revealed that the Akademi had invited him to speak on Kumaranashan's poem Karuna on the morning of January 30 and paid him only Rs 2,400 for the two-hour talk. This was posted on Facebook by his friend CICC Jayachandran quoting Balachandran Chullikkad. The note stated that the cost of travelling from Ernakulam to Thrissur including waiting charges was three thousand five hundred rupees.

Following this, Kerala Sahitya Akkoudami president K Satchidanandan said that steps have been taken to give a decent remuneration to Chullikkad. He told the media that he had asked Balachandran Chullikkad to send the account details. Satchidanandan added that the amount currently paid is not less as per the law and there was an error in the organization. Kerala Sahitya Akademi Vice President Asokan Charuvil also apologized to Balachandran Chullikkad on the issue. He clarified that although he was not directly involved in the incident, he expressed his regret as an official.