HASSAN: The 81st Kannada Sahitya Sammelana is scheduled to begin in a fortnight, but there is still no resolution to the dispute between the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) and the State Government Employees’ Association over the donation of a day’s salary for the meet.
The forum had previously promised a day’s salary of all employees to KSP to organise the meet in Shravanabelagola. But later, the association, led by its president Bagur Manjegowda, placed a request to the Finance Department demanding back half their contribution in order to set up an Employees Bhavan in Bengaluru. A day’s salary of the 28,000 association members is estimated to be around Rs.1.65 crore. According to sources, a minimum of Rs.5 crore is needed to organise the meet and the government has released Rs.1 crore. KSP opposed the association’s move and has been making efforts to convince the employees’ to change their mind through Hassan District in-charge Minister H C Mahadevappa. However, sources told Express that the forum’s president and office-bearers are sticking to their guns.
An official said Shravanabelagola Mutt will take care of the major expenses like food and boarding costs and 50 per cent of the government employees’ salaries should be enough for the meet as KSP will also collect donations. District KSP president H L Janardhan expressed confidence that the association would relent. Manjegowda was not available for comment.