Karnataka literary meet president decries disparity in funding for Kannada

Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana president Dr Doddarange Gowda said the recognition of Kannada as a classical language seems to be an eyewash tactic from the central government as there has been a huge disparity in the allocation of funds for the development of the Kannada language compared to other languages.

Delivering his presidential speech at the 86th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana here on Friday, he said every time the central government claims that the double engine government has been working for the development of Karnataka. However, when it comes to the allocation of funds for the classical language Kannada there is a huge gulf between neighbouring Tamil Nadu and ours.

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He said between 2017 and 2020 the Union government released Rs 643 crore for the classical languages of India. However, in the same period, the Central government allocated only Rs 3 crore for the research and study of Kannada. On the contrary, Tamil Nadu has received Rs 42 crore for the development of its language between 2017 and 2021, he said.

“The elected representatives of Tamil Nadu fight with the Union government to get funds released for their language,” he said and asked the Members of Parliament and Chief Minister to take a delegation of writers and pro-Kannada organizations to press upon the government to release additional funds.

Dr Gowda also asked the state to immediately withdraw all the cases filed against the Kannada activists, who were booked while staging protests for protecting the Kannada language, land and culture. “They are Kannada activists fighting for Kannada’s existence, not terrorists who could be jailed,” he said.

“The Mahajan Committee report should be final and the state government, which has taken a firm stand on the border dispute with Maharashtra, should make sure that not an inch of land is lost,” he added.

‘Threat to federalism’

Author H S Venkatesh Murthy, the president of 85th Sammelana, said our neighbours with their behaviour are threatening the federal structure of India. “Their demand for bifurcation threatens the unity of the country,” he said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said no power can threaten the existence of Kannada, an ancient language which has a long historical and cultural legacy.

He said his government is consulting all the stakeholders to come up with an employment policy that could give reservations for Kannadigas in all walks of life.

Karnataka Sahitya Parishat president Mahesh Joshi, Council chairman Basavaraj Horatti, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa and others were present.