MYSURU: With most litterateurs taking potshots at the Centre, the 83rd Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, which concluded in Mysuru on Sunday, appeared more like an anti-Modi platform.
Noted writer and Sammelan president Chandrashekar Patil set the mood by attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre on day one. He went on to appeal to the people to vote for a national secular party with a regional agenda.
The writers speaking on a host of issues expressed displeasure over infringement on their constitutional rights like what to dress, what to eat, where to go and where not to go and with whom one should speak etc.
They criticised issues like cine actors coming under attack for voicing concern against GST, dilution of reservation and growing threat to harmony and brotherhood. A writer from Udupi pleading anonymity felt that seminars, issues and topics were drafted with concerted efforts to corner the Modi government.
Writer K S Bhagwan was escorted out by the police after he deviated from the topic ‘Neglected Sections of People’ and started making remarks on Ram mandir which irked the audience.
Though the Kannada meet discussed on Janapara Chaluvaligalu (pro-people movements), neglected communities, future challenges in the media, farmers’ issues,Kannada research and e-communication, it also referred to waiving crores of rupees of loans to multi-national companies while giving peanuts to the farming community.
Yogesh, a techie from Bengaluru, felt that the literary meet should have discussed more local issues. “Kannadigas and Kannada both are losing their identity in Bengaluru. It is high time Kannadigas and the government thought of assimilating the Kannadigas with local languages,” he said.
Meanwhile, writer K Y Narayaswamy opined that instead of just sticking to Kannada language tone, such meets must discuss freedom of expression, movements, and other relevant issues of the society.
Kannada Sahithya Parishat president Manu Baligar claimed that the sammelan is successful as it discussed a wide range of issues.
“The meet has discussed development of Kannada research and critics, social justice that has been recorded in Kannada history and e-communication,”he said.
GST, Bhim App slammed
The poets’ meet was free for all as many who recited poems took a dig at demonetisation, digital money and GST. While Gangaram Chandala recited a poem slamming GST, introduction of Bhim App, and charged the NDA with posing a threat to reservation in the guise of Nava Bharat. He took a dig at the state government for failing to build 200 hostels, and delay in implementing Sadashiva Commission report. A poet referred to the CM visiting a temple after eating fish curry and hit out at critics saying “those who had a feast of crocodile are pointing fingers at those who entered the temple after eating fish.”