Srinagar, April 21 -- How a writer develops his relationship(s) with authority and power is primarily a question of political nature. The moment a writer allows his imaginative realm to touch upon layers of outer, institutionally organised, narrative-ridden, value-bound world, a sort of political engagement ensues. A writer has an edge in working out this kind of political engagement - not just because he can exercise the power of his imagination over the 'power' being practised in the outer world in a host of ways, ranging from pure linguistic and stylistic to ideological ones, but also due to being cognizant of the distinctness of power of creative language that presents itself in the face of crude political power.
It needs to be stresse...