BENGALURU: Opposing the prayer made by Raajkamal Films International in its petition filed before the Karnataka High Court regarding the release of Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life in Karnataka, the Kannada Sahithya Parishath (KSP) has filed an impleading application seeking permission to intervene in the matter.
KSP, represented by president Mahesh Joshi, has stated that constitutional protection under Article 19(1)(a) is not absolute and does not extend to statements that are likely to provoke unrest or public harmony, especially where such statements pertain to the dignity and identity of a language and it’s people.
The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce has resolved to ban the release and distribution of Thug Life in Karnataka as actor Kamal Haasan refused to tender an apology over his controversial statement that Kannada was born out of Tamil.
Questioning this decision, Raajkamal Films International, for which Kamal Haasan is one of the directors, moved the HC. In its impleading application filed to this petition, KSP contended that the statement in question amounts to intentional or reckless speech that denigrates the dignity of the Kannada language and added that so far, the actor has not made any bonafide effort to tender an apology over his remarks.
The KSP has also opposed the prayer made by the petitioner for police protection to release a movie in Karnataka, saying that police resources are not meant to provide protection to a commercial interest. The KSP is approaching the court in the public interest to seek permission to intervene in the petition and to place on record relevant constitutional, linguistic and cultural issues arising from recent events that have caused public unrest and hurt to the sentiments of the Kannada-speaking community.
