A storm of criticism has followed the announcement of the Jnanpith Award for celebrated lyricist Vairamuthu, with a collective of over 200 Tamil writers, readers, and social activists issuing a strongly worded condemnation. The group has urged the Jnanpith selection committee to reconsider and revoke the honour, arguing that the decision undermines both the award's legacy and the ethos of Tamil literary culture.A growing chorus of dissentThe appeal, spearheaded by writer K N Senthil and poet Deepu Hari, brings together an influential cross-section of the Tamil intellectual community.