After facing an unprecedented scale of setbacks, reputed lyricist Vairamuthu has on Saturday unveiled a major decision over the ONV Award. He has announced that he is refusing the ONV Award that was recently conferred on him, honouring his excellence and contribution to the poetry works. His decision has come when the award is yet to be presented to him and has come a day after the award management has said it will reconsider its decision of electing him for the award. 

ONV Kurup Award is given in the name of Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup, who was a prominent Malayalam poet and lyricist from Kerala. Kurup won the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary award in India for the year 2007 for his unparalleled contribution in writing. Kurup had also received Padma Shri in 1998 and the Padma Vibhushan award in 2011. It was bestowed on the people who excel in writing and poetry works.

Prominent Malayalam director Adoor Gopalakrishnan is the Chairman of the ONV Academy and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is the Chief Patron of the academy. On May 26, the academy has decided to honour Vairamuthu for his poetry works by bestowing the fifth ONV Literary Award. As he would become the first poet to receive the award from Tamil Nadu, Vairmathu was flooded with wishes and commendations for the honour. However, the announcement of honouring him didn't go well with the women community who staunchly objected to the Academy's decision. 

Several women activists and celebrities took to social media and expressed their displeasure over providing the award to Vairamuthu, who has been accused of sexual harassment by around 17 women. Vairamuthu has also been accused of sexually harassing singer Chinmayi and she is a part of a group of women who slammed the lyricist. As the outrage had grown against the academy, it had on Friday said that it will reconsider the decision of conferring the award to him. 

The academy said that at the instance of the selection committee, the award is now under reconsideration. Chairman Gopalakrishnan said, "Vairmuthu was considered by the jury for his excellent writing. "I do not know if the jury is aware of the charges against him. My personal opinion is that awards should not be decided on the basis of character. As the Chairman of the Cultural Society, I do not interfere in the decisions of the jury". 

As the lyricist was pushed to face new tension over receiving the honour, Vairamuthu has on Saturday said that he is refusing the prestigious award. In a press statement, Vairamuthu said that he came to know that the award was being reconsidered due to the interference of a few people who have a grudge against him. He said, "I wonder if this insults me and poet ONV Kurup. I think that the learned jury should not be pushed into a sticky situation. Hence, I would like to avoid receiving the award amid so many controversies."