Srinagar, Jan. 11 -- The public mistreatment of senior Hindi fiction writer Manoj Roopda during a literary event held at Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, is not just an unfortunate incident but a clear indication of the deepening crisis in academic and cultural life in our times. Humiliating an invited writer on stage and asking him to leave the event is completely contrary to the tradition in which universities have been seen as centers of free exchange of ideas, respect for dissent, and constructive dialogue. This incident is not limited to an individual; it is a direct attack on literature, freedom of expression, and intellectual dignity. The historical role of universities has not been to be subservient to power. From...