Corporators in Belgaum fight over feting Kambar
MES members oppose felicitation
The meeting of the Belgaum City Corporation witnessed noisy scenes on Thursday over passing a resolution to felicitate writer Chandrashekhara Kambar, who has been selected for the Jnanapith award.
Corporator Jyothi Bhavikatti said since the writer was from the district, the members should fete him and a letter should be sent to him.
However, Sambhaji Chavan, independent Marathi-speaking corporator, intervened saying, since Kambar insisted on Kannada as the medium of instruction from class I to X he opposed the move.
Chavan said Kambar’s stand also found favour with Chief Minister D V Sadananda
Gowda. Chavan was supported by members belonging to the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi.
Pro-Kannada members, led by former mayor, N B Nirvani, held a protest in front of Mayor, Manda Balekundri. They demanded that those opposing the move should be suspended.
They said the stand adopted by some of the corporators would create a rift between Kannada and Marathi-speaking communities.
The Mayor tried to provide an opportunity to the MES corporators to air their views and refused to consider the demands of the Kannada-speaking corporators.
Amid chaos, the Mayor adjourned the meeting for some time. When the House reassembled, the bedlam continued and the Mayor adjourned the meeting indefinitely.
