Reputed lyricist Vairamuthu has been facing an unprecedented scale of outrage in Kerala, which had pushed him to brace a new tension over receiving one of the prestigious state awards honouring the excellence in writing. The development has come after massive flak in the state which demanded to withdraw the award for Vairamuthu under the grounds that he was accused of sexual harassment by around 17 women. 

According to reports, the ONV Cultural Academy has on Friday said that it will reconsider the decision of conferring the award to Vairamuthu. Earlier, the Academy had decided to bestow this year's ONV Kurup Literary Award to Vairamuthu. 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. As the voice to withdraw the award had gone stronger, the Academy has now announced that it will reconsider its decision of awarding Vairamuthu. In a statement, the academy said that the decision to reconsider giving the award to Vairamuthu was taken on the advice of the jury. 

The academy has issued a statement on Friday in which ONV Cultural Academy Chairman and movie director Adoor Gopalakrishnan said that they will reconsider the decision. The academy said that at the instance of the selection committee, the award is now under reconsideration. The Academy had on May 26 announced the ONV Kurup Literary Award to Vairamuthu and while announcing the award, Gopalakrishnan had supported the decision and said that the award is given for excellence in writing and not for examining a person's character. 

However, the decision of the Academy had run into controversy and outrage over electing Vairamuthu as the recipient amid facing sexual allegations charges. As the objections went massive, the academy has announced that it will reconsider the decision of bestowing the award to him. 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", Gopalakrishnan added. It must be noted that Vairamuthu has also been accused of sexually harassing singer Chinmayi and she is a part of a group of women who slammed the lyricist.

Vairamuthu had been chosen for the fifth ONV Literacy Award. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh and citation. 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. 

Honouring his contribution, an academy was established to recognize the writings and poet. While Adoor Gopalakrishnan was the Chairman of the Academy, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is the Chief Patron of the Academy. Well-renowned writer MT Vasudevan Nair and singer KJ Yesudas are the patrons. The academy has decided to honour Vairamuthu for his poetry works by bestowing the fifth ONV Literary Award. 

The award was decided by a jury consisting of poet Prabha Varman,  Malayalam University Vice-Chancellor Anil Vallathol, and write Alankode Leelakrishnan. Ever since the announcement of providing the award to Vairamuthu was made, the academy is piled up with objections for honouring the lyricist who is facing sexual allegation charges. As the demand from the activists and women celebrities to take back the award had escalated, the academy has now announced that it will reconsider the decision of conferring the award to Vairamuthu, pushing the lyricist to face new tension as chances of receiving the award are meeting with setbacks.