KALABURAGI: The president of 85th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana HS Venkateshmurthy on Wednesday had a suggestion for the central government. There should be no discrimination between North India and South India in adopting the three-language policy, he said. Delivering the presidential address on the opening day of the three-day 85th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana here, Venkateshmurthy said, “It would be unfair to introduce the three-language formula in the southern part of the country compelling students to learn three languages against two languages for the students of North India. The students who communicate in Hindi should learn another language in addition to English if the policy is implemented.
Venkateshmurthy said, “Though Kannada is vastly spoken in most parts of the state, it is slowly waning in the state capital, with the people of other states residing in Bengaluru in large numbers, creating such a situation that we should find the existence of the language. The Kannadigas should not be swayed over by other languages and should speak compulsorily in Kannada both within their house as well as outside. Even the people of other States residing in the State are free to converse in their own mother tongues, but should learn to speak Kannada while communicating with the people outside.
He called upon the State Government to ensure that Kanndigas should get their due in the recruitments conducted by all the departments and also industries. If the State Government does not provide employment to Kannadigas, then who else will consider them?, he raised a veritable question. The government should immediately make Kannada medium compulsory for all the primary schools in the State, reiterated Murthy.
Minister for Kannada and Culture C T Ravi said “attempts are being made to create differences between Mother India and Mother Kannada. Whenever the question of country comes, we have to raise slogans in a big voice “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, but when the question of State arises, we will put up united fight. Illusory is being spread that English is the language which guarantees employment and hence we should come out of this illusion”, he said.
The controversy over the selection of social activist and writer Kalkuli Vittal Hegde as the chairman of recently concluded Chikkamagaluru Zilla Kannada Sahitya Sammelan echoed on the opening day of the three-day 85th Akhil Bharat Kannada Sahitya Sammelan here on Wednesday. Writer and social activist K Neela who condemned the attitude of the BJP ruled State Government that “refused” to release funds to Sammelana held at Sringeri over the issue, demanded the resignation of Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) president Manu Baligar. She accused Baligar of “dancing to the tunes of the State Government and failing to defend the stand of KSP Chikkamagaluru district unit.”
In her address during a symposium was on ‘Kalyana Karnataka: in the past, at present and in the future’, organised as a part of 85th Akhil Bharat Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, Neela also condemned the filing of a FIR against Koppal based journalist Siraj Bisralli for reciting an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) poem at a public event. Neela, who is a progressive writer, utilised the forum to raise the pitch for Baligar’s resignation for not supporting Chikkamagaluru district unit. She also demanded for the withdrawal of a FIR against Bisralli.
State govt committed to make Kannada compulsory: BSY
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday asserted, “The state government is committed to make Kannada compulsory in private schools”. Yediyurappa said, “The government has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of primary and secondary education minister. The chairman of Kannada development authority and other members are also on board to supervise the implementation of Kannada compulsory either as first or second language.