Raj Kurup protests ‘scam culture’, steps off Goafest Creative Abby jury

Jury president of the digital category at Goafest 2013, Sajan Raj Kurup, founder and creative chairman of Creativeland Asia, has ‘stepped off’ the jury of the competition.

In a letter to fellow jury members, he pointed out that the decision comes in the backdrop of ‘controversies surrounding the awards, sacking of senior people, all the rumours going around about this year’s awards and international media looking at India scornfully’.

“Personally, to me it just doesn't feel right deep inside my heart to be associated with awards in any way in our country,” he added.

Asked by Campaign India if he was unaware of scams being entered in awards, he said, “We are all aware of it. This has always been in my head and as an agency we have taken the stand that we will not do a single scam ad. And we stuck to it. But nobody is in any mood to do anything about this ‘scam culture’. My stand is not against the organisers or jury members, it is a humble step in pushing for a change in the industry mindset on the subject of scam.”

In the letter to fellow jurors, he said, “I didn't want to wait till the judging was over. My apologies if I am letting you all down or being irresponsible, but it is a 'feeling' thing. I just don’t feel good.”

“I have decided with the support of my organisation not to return to awards in this country till we take up the issues on scam seriously and take strong stringent steps against it. I have and I will in my little humble way be standing up against this scam culture in every way I can,” his ‘memo’ further said.

Terming the move as a ‘award hunger strike’, his letter describes the decision as a stance against scams, and not against the industry or the organisers of the Goafest.