Newsclick interviewed Teesta Setalvad on the series of awards being returned by various writers post lynching of a person in Dadri and PMs silence. Teesta explained that, this government functions on the diktat of RSS with a clear agenda of communal polarisation and hurting the multi-dimensional cultural fabric of India. She argued that PMs silence is tacit consent and explains the mood of current regime. On question of freedom of speech, Teesta explained that India being a democracy, everyone has a right to speak what the person wants and the government should respect it. Instead the government is trying to curb all the dissenting voices. Teesta argues that in such dark times, political and cultural resistance should go hand in hand and give a befitting reply to undemocratic forces.