'Resist cut in Reservation'

Legislator R Varthur Prakash called upon all backward classes to fight against the decrease in reservation from 58 per cent to 50 per cent.

He was speaking presiding over the Kanaka Jayanthi function on Wednesday on the occasion of the 522nd birth anniversary of Kanakadasa. The programme was organised outside the Kanaka Mandira by the district administration, Zilla Panchayat, Department of Kannada and Culture and Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department.

Silent response

The rate of reservation for minorities and backward classes has been reduced as a result of the plea by Rama Jois before the Supreme Court. But nobody from the backward classes has raised voice against this or appealed to the higher authorities to repeal the act, Varthur said, with disappointment.

“Many Chief Ministers have remained silent for fear of losing their posts. It is therefore necessary to organise a state-wide protest against this injustice,” he said.

Reminding that both Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections would be conducted soon, Varthur said the date would be declared by the Election Commission possibly on Friday.

“All parties should facilitate contestation of candidates belonging to backward classes through a general ticket. They should work to undo the injustice done to backward classes,” he requested.

Translate works

Member of Legislative Council V R Sudarshan said that works of Kanakadasa should be translated into other languages.

“Several letters requesting this of the Central and State Governments have not been responded to. We would be able to see positive results only if the Department of Kannada and Culture and the Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department take pro-active steps in this direction.”

Zilla Panchayat president Mangamma Muniswamy inaugurated the programme. Studying Kanakadasa’s life and works and applying his philosophy in our lives are important, she said.

Karnataka Sangeetha Nrityakala Akademi member N R Jnanamurthy gave a special lecture on the saint.

Additional Deputy Commissioner N Babanna, Additional Superintendent of Police H R Bhagavan Das, Zilla Panchayat deputy secretary Lakshminarayana, Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department Officer In-charge Sanjappa, District Kurubara Sangha president K N Madhusudhan Kumar, City Municipal Council members V Prakash and Somashekhar, tahsildar S M Mangala, Deputy Divisional Officer R S Peddappaiah, member of Kannada Sangha Urubagilu Srinivas were present.

B S Venkatachalapati, assistant director of the Department of Kannada and Culture welcomed the gathering.

Rangoli competition

Rotary Club organised a rangoli competition for women on Wednesday as part of Kanaka Jayanthi. The competition was conducted in Karanjikatte, in the premises of Baba Education Society. Ramachandra Gowda, head of the Society, Rotary Club member Raghavendra Balaji and Nagashekhar were present.

Movement on the road haphazard

The Kanaka Jayanthi programme was organised on the road in front of the Kanaka Mandira inconveniencing hundreds of people travelling within the city. The road is near the District Hospital. Vehicle drivers, therefore, were inconvenienced. Kolar city has a fully-equipped auditorium. Many citizens objected to the district administration’s choice of an important road in the city as the venue for the programme.