JOIN USRangayana artistes stage protest against transfers
Artistes of Rangayana here on Thursday, staged a protest against the transfer orders issued by Kannada and Culture department on March 20.
The artistes covering their mouths with black cloth, condemned act of transfers by the department after the election code of conduct was announced, and burnt the transfer order copies. They were supported by senior theatre artistes and Rangayana director B V Rajaram.
Among the 18 artistes, six have been transfered to Dharwad and six to Shimoga. The orders though don’t clearly speak about transfers, artistes allege that the deputation for two years was the same as effecting transfers.
Rajaram told Deccan Herald that the protocol was violated as the election code of conduct was announced even before the orders reached the office in Mysore at 5 pm on March 20.
Activities may be hit
“Artistes have no objection to being sent out on deputation for two months or so. But not for two years. This will surely take a hit on theatre activities in Mysore. No big theatre projects can be planned for the city,” he said.
Rajaram also said that instead of transferring artistes from Mysore to other places to train amateur theatre artistes recruited in Shimoga and Dharwad, the amateurs could themselves be brought to Mysore to be trained.
He said, the plan when proposed in the meeting on March 16, was opposed by him, and that he had not expected the orders to be issued to the effect on March 20. “If the department was insistent on its stand, it could have done it before,” he added.
Rajaram claimed that all senior artistes and ex-directors have supported the cause opposing the transfers. It is regretful that Rangayana has received the news at a time when it was celebrating its silver jubilee. The artistes have not more than 10 days to report to their transfered districts.
Nirmala Matapathi, deputy director of Rangayana clarified to Deccan Herald that, the deputation would be done on a rotation basis. “This move will not hamper the quality of Rangayana Mysore troupe. The decision has been taken by theatre experts and the department Commissioner to improve the quality in other places, and to train newly recruited artistes,” she added.
She said that she had only executed the orders which were issued on March 16. “As the orders did not reach through post, it was sent through fax yesterday,” she added.
Artistes transferred
Artistes transfered to Dharwad: Krishnakumar Narayana Kaje, Noor Ahmed Shiek, Maheshwar Hiremath, K R Nandini, Mime Ramesh and Jagadish Manevarte.
Artistes transfered to Shimoga: Manjunath Bilekere, B N Shashikala, M N Sri Krishna Prasad, Hulugappa, Kattimani, Pramila Bendre and Mahadev.