After Nayantara Sahgal, Urdu writer and Sahitya Akademi awardee from Maharashtra Rahman Abbas has decided to return his award. He cited the example of others like poet Ashok Vajpeyi, Kannada writers, Veeranna Madiwalar, T. Satish Javare Gowda, Sangamesh Menasinakai, Hanumanth Haligeri, Shridevi V Aloor and Chidanand Sali and said it was a protest against the 'killing of creative writers'.