The Dasara festivities are fast approaching but for folk artistes in the State, there is not much reason to cheer.
The long-pending demand for government support by the artistes has gone unfulfilled. The Akhila Karnataka Janapada Kalavidara Okkoota has threatened to boycott Dasara this year, if the government does not pay heed to its demands.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, members of the Okkoota said that even though the Jamboo Savari which takes place annually in Mysore is famous all over the world, the artistes assisting in it are never recognised.
Members claimed that their honorarium was too low and they had been pressing for a hike for the last four years.
They also demanded that the government fix the honorarium at Rs 50,000 per team this year for the procession. They also called on the government to allocate separate funds for the welfare of the artistes, and identify qualified artistes and give them identity cards.
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