Even Kuvempu may be painted saffron in coming days: NSD chief

Artistes sing poems of writer Kuvempu during the valedictory ceremony of Kuvempu Vishwamanava Sandesha Jatha, organised by Manava Bhanduthva Vedike, at Kuvempu Institute for Kannada Studies (KIKS), in Manasagangothri, Mysuru on Tuesday. Kannada Sahithya Parishat district president Dr Y D Rajanna, KIKS director Preethi Srimandar Kumar, writer C P Krishna Kumar, National School of Drama, Bengaluru, director C Basavalingaiah, actor Chethan and vedike convenor Wilfred D'Souza are seen. DH PHOTO

Director of National School of Drama (NSD), Bengaluru, C Basavalingaiah said that the state government in Uttar Pradesh has painted a police station with saffron colour, and if that party is elected to power in Karnataka, the authorities will colour even poet Kuvempu saffron.

He was speaking during the valedictory ceremony of Kuvempu Vishwamanava Sandesha Jatha, organised by Manava Bhanduthva Vedike here on Tuesday.

"Even personalities like Kuvempu are in danger. Days are not far when he would be made Rasarushi, installed in a temple and worshipped. Kuvempu had called upon the youth to leave the temples, mosques, and churches behind, for the development of the society," he recalled.

'Hitler's rule'

"People like Kuvempu celebrated the diversity in India. However, now the authorities concerned are making everything uniform. They are saying one nation, one tax, one language. This seems to be a continued episode of the Adolf Hitler's rule. Communal violence is being triggered by provoking vulnerable communities. In places where Narayana Guru strived for reforms, the youth have become communal," he said.

"The characters of the epics are ruling current politics. Rama has become a weapon in the hands of the politicians. Beliefs and gods should be restricted to the homes. Of late, by describing Karnataka as Hanuma Desha, the leaders are misleading the people. Days are not far when they would swing a cradle beside the tomb of Tipu Sultan. Conspiracies are at work to change history," he said.

Writer C P Krishna Kumar said that there are two types of superstitions - one is the superstitions of the scholars despite worldly knowledge and the superstitions of the common people before they can acquire the right kind of knowledge.

"Superstitious scientists look like donkeys burdened by the superstitions," he said.

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