Young Konkani writer Yugank Naik has refused to accept the second prize awarded to him by the Goa Kala Academy in the 50th Konkani Rajya Natya Saptah drama-writing competition, alleging that the judging process lacked fairness and transparency.
Naik’s script Desh Raag had been selected for the second prize after the Academy chose not to confer a first prize this year. However, the writer said he was declining the honour on principle, raising concerns about the credibility of the evaluation process.
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He alleged that the scrutiny of the scripts was not conducted with due seriousness, citing reports that another prize-winning entry had been written in just two days. Such decisions, Naik claimed, undermine the efforts of committed writers and dilute the value of the competition.
Calling for greater accountability, Naik urged the Academy to disclose judges’ comments and the rationale behind their decisions to restore trust and ensure transparency in future editions of the drama-writing contest.
