The president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat is the only representative who is elected exclusively by Kannadigas. The 26th KSP president, Mahesh Joshi, in a free-wheeling interview with the TNSE team, spoke on a wide range of topics including measures taken by KSP to save Kannada, Kannada schools, job reservation for Kannadigas, teaching Kannada to those who do not know the language and others.
What was the outcome of the recent Kannada Sahitya Parishat meeting on Public Interest Litigation to be filed to save Kannada schools?
When I contested KSP polls, I had stressed on saving Kannada schools and making Kannada the language of livelihood. I won the election with a record margin. This means they believed what I said. Sahitya Parishat is not Sahiti (writers) parishat, but a common man’s parishat. Soon after I took charge, we amended the KSP bylaws to safeguard Kannada, Kannadiga and Karnataka development. The number of Kannada schools and children studying in these schools is coming down. One of the main reasons is the lack of basic amenities in these schools. There is already a suo motu case, which the High Court has taken up, that is about lack of basic amenities in schools. Some of these schools do not have proper buildings, toilets, drinking water and other basic necessities. We took up these issues during our meeting, which was attended by many dignitaries, including retired judges of the High Court and Supreme Court, writers, religious heads, politicians, Kannada organisations and others. All of them came forward to become part of the PIL along with KSP. Till now, no judges have become a part of any PIL. When actor Puneeth Rajkumar was alive, we had a conversation and he was eager to join us in saving Kannada schools. We are involving his family members in our campaign. Earlier, when the government tried to make Kannada as the medium of instruction mandatory, it was defeated in the Supreme Court, saying it was unconstitutional. We are not stressing about this, but saving Kannada schools and providing better amenities will be part of our PIL.
Does it also include Kannada schools outside Karnataka?
Yes. There are technical issues as the Karnataka High Court’s jurisdiction may not reach till there. We are discussing it with legal experts. As the Karnataka government is providing grants to these schools, we hope they will come under our purview. KSP is not just about literature or giving awards, it will also fight for the cause of Kannada through all means, including legal.
But why have you decided to file the PIL? Why did you not approach the government?
I have written letters to the chief minister many times. I had said if the government does not respond, we will take the legal route to save Kannada schools. We don’t know if our pleas have reached the CM at all. All these years, if the KSP president wanted to meet the CM, it was given priority. This is because this post has respect as it is elected by only Kannadigas. Also, KSP is an independent body and not associated with any political party. For us, a government is not Congress or BJP, but a Kannada government.
Do you think Kannada has been implemented at the government level?
It is not given priority or implemented as it should be. Many circulars and orders have been issued, but neglected by officials. There is no instance of a minister or the CM taking action against officials. Kannada should be in administration. Recently, the CM said all files that go to him should be in Kannada. After much pressure, the previous government passed the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, which was gazetted too. But so far, there has been no notification from when this Act will be implemented. We are also part of the committee and only one informal meeting has been held. The Kannada and culture minister had said it would be implemented from November, but now we are in December, and nothing has been done. Also, the government should have framed the rules, but it has not been done. We don’t want this Act to be like any other circular.
What is the role of Kannada Sahitya Parishat in renaming Karnataka?
Kannada Sahitya Sammelana played a crucial role in not only renaming Karnataka, but also in unifying the state. KSP was set up in 1915 and it demanded that Kannada-speaking people, scattered in over 22 fragments, be united. At the Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in 1930, Alur Venkata Rao said that KSP should lead the unification effort. Legendary Kannada poet and Jnanpith awardee KV Putappa (Kuvempu) had decided he would not chair the Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana till the unification. He only presided over the Sammelana in Dharwad after the unification in 1956. Further, it was Kannada writers, especially Chaduranga, who convinced then Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs to name the state Karnataka, though he was in favour of Mysuru.
Despite all your efforts in organising the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, there were some allegations and a parallel Sammelana was organised in Bengaluru...
The allegation was that I had given little space for Muslim writers at the Sammelana. I was given the task of organising the Sahitya Sammelana and not any religious fair. There were allegations that I was in favour of right-wing and RSS. I am not right or left. As KSP president, I am neutral and there was no discrimination by caste, creed or religion. All I can say is that only a fruit-bearing tree is stoned and not a barren one.
The tenure of KSP president was extended from three to five years...
The extension was decided by the court and I don’t wish to comment on it. I had opposed the extension on ethical grounds that a voter would have cast his vote and elected you as the president for a particular tenure and if that is extended, it will not look good.
Your opinion on job reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector?
We want it. But we are also aware of the recent Haryana High Court judgment that job reservation for locals in the private sector is against Articles 14, 16 and 21. We are exploring legal options and will also hold meetings with industrialists.
You wanted to hold the next Sammelana in Mandya. But it was declined because of the drought in the state...
Seven taluks in Mandya district are drought-affected. We are not so insensitive that we savour ‘holige tuppa’ (a traditional sweet dish with ghee) when our countrymen are suffering because of drought. But despite announcing that this year’s Dasara will not be extravagant, the government spent Rs 50 crore. The Sahitya Sammelana is the only festival celebrated exclusively by Kannadigas. We will urge the government to hold the sammelana in February.
What is the financial status of KSP?
KSP has been receiving funds from the state government ever since HD Deve Gowda was chief minister. Depending on KSP presidents’ rapport with chief ministers, the funds get allotted. Last year, Rs 10 crore was granted for KSP’s regular activities. Of this, Rs 5 crore was diverted for the Sahitya Sammelana in Haveri. There were two budgets presented -- one by BJP and the other by Congress. By now, we would have received funds in three instalments, but we haven’t. We are expecting funds from the government.
Kannada writers are receiving threats and some have sought police protection...
We live in a democracy and everyone has the right to express their feelings. We all come from different schools of thought and just because you do not like one, you cannot threaten that. Writers have the responsibility to highlight the problems of society. As KSP president, I condemn such threats and urge the government to take stern action against those involved.
What plans on digitising KSP operations?
It has already been done. When KSP started in 1915, there were restrictions as there was no provision to use technology. But when I took over, I made the provision with amendments by setting up a panel of 11 experts. We got the government approval within six months and that brought in an enormous change. We developed an application to register a member in one minute and introduced ID cards with QR codes. Next, we will conduct polls by using hi-tech. A member will get a call on her/his cell phone and an OTP, following which the ballot will come. Our social media presence, including on Facebook and X, is more visible now. The Kannadanudi magazine, which was in print, has been wound up and digitised. We are now sending out the online magazine, allowing free download. Earlier, it was a burden to dispatch copies to 4 lakh subscribers. Some 40,000 copies used to be returned to KSP for various reasons.
What initiatives have you taken to teach Kannada to those who do not know the language?
When I went to Japan, they taught us Japanese in a simple way without stressing on grammar. If we teach Kannada by using grammar, people will run away. We too must adapt to teach spoken Kannada. Japanese and Kannada have similarities. We are planning audio-visual methods. We have many organisations, including the Kannada Development Authority and Janapada Academy. However, there is a lack of coordination and duplication of programmes and projects. I brought this to the notice of the chief minister. I am going to include it in the PIL as the taxpayer’s money is getting wasted.
KSP has its own respect, Former PM Deve Gowda showed me great respect as I hold the seat that the Mysuru Maharaja held once.We have four examinations -- ‘Kawa’, ‘Jana’, ‘Ratna’ and ‘Pravesha’ -- for which the syllabus will be simplified. A committee has been set up for that.
Earlier, Kannadigas abroad had no opportunity to become KSP members. Now they can by paying a $10 fee. I have made Kannada organisations and associations abroad part of KSP. The Melbourne Kannada Koota with 18,000 Kannadigas is associated with us and gets regular updates. For the last sahitya sammelana, we had invited Rev Ferdinand Kittel’s grandchildren and next time, we are planning to invite the relatives of Sir Thomas Munro (who contributed to the development of Kannada).
There is a perception that other languages, not Kannada, dominate in Bengaluru...
It is certainly true. In some residential hubs that have come up in Bengaluru recently, one cannot hear Kannada as the population of Kannadigas is less than 20 per cent. Initiatives are being taken to teach Kannada to those who do not know the language.
We have a tradition of brotherhood and accommodation to the extent that we speak to non-Kannadigas in their language which is detrimental to Kannada. Kannadigas speak to a non-Kannadiga security guard in his language instead of teaching him Kannada. In Israel, Hebrew was considered a dying language till some time ago. But people and the government decided to speak Hebrew wherever they meet across the globe, even in the US.
When G Venkatasubbaiah was Sahitya Sammelana president, he had said in his speech that the population of Kannadigas in Bengaluru was 30 per cent. Now it has declined to 26 per cent as only street vendors and milkmen speak Kannada. Other languages are like our aunts, but Kannada is our mother. The former cannot become our mother. Let us respect aunts, but hold the mother in high regard.
During the British era, Mark Cubbon used Kannada in administration and when he returned to England, he named his house ‘Bengaluru Kannadada Mane’. When Sir Thomas Munro was Ballari deputy commissioner and became governor of the Madras region, he would insist that Kannadiga officials (who tried to speak in broken English) speak in Kannada. But these days, there is a lack of self-respect among Kannadigas. If we do not respect Kannada in Karnataka, we cannot expect it from outside.
In Germany, Kannadigas speak German at their workplace. In Sweden, in every school, if there are seven students speaking that language, a teacher should be appointed. We should learn from these examples. If there are seven Kannada-speaking students in a school, we should appoint a teacher.