'Debate on the need for annual Kannada Sahitya Sammelana'

A debate should be held in literary circles and among public on whether Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana should be organised every year or once in three years which is the term enjoyed by the Parishat President, said Rajya Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Pundalika Halambi.

He was speaking after inaugurating the series of endowment lectures by Dakshina Kannada Zilla Kannada Sahitya Parishat organised at Sharada Vidyalaya on Monday. The Parishat President said that the issue should be contemplated deeply especially because organising Sammelana every year would consume most of the time and efforts of the Parishat President.

By organising the Sammelana once in three years, the Parishat President would get more time to concentrate on other work too, apart from organising the Sammelana, he opined.
Strongly favouring for a rational change in the selection process of the Sammelana President, Halambi said “the present method of choosing Sammelana President should be quashed and it should be replaced by the process in which Vice-chancellors are selected.
An independent committee should suggest the name which should be unanimously accepted by the Parishat administrative committee,” he proposed.

Proposed amendments

Meanwhile, he said that a sub-committee formed by the Parishat has recommended several proposals to bring amendments in the bye-laws of the Sahitya Parishat. The proposed changes include, to create the post of Vice-president which will be exclusively reserved for the woman representative, make provisions to reserve posts for  Dalits and religious minorities in the Parishat committee, elect the post of Taluk Parishat presidents in a democratic way among others.

He emphasised that a policy should be brought to ensure that a person can assume the charge of Parishat President only once in his lifetime. “I believe this proposed amendments will be accepted.”

Halambi said that all committee members conference is scheduled to be organised in Dharmasthala on September 30. The government has also released Rs 25,000 for each of the Taluk Parishats. He announced that 10 volumes of modern Kannada literature will be released during the centenary celebration of Rajya Kannada Sahitya Parishat. The President stressed on the need for the government to bring a scientific language policy in the state.

“The government must ensure that no government schools are closed and privatisation of school education is stopped,” urged Halambi.

Manipal University former Vice Chancellor Dr B M Hegde lit the lamp. Representatives from various colleges in the district which have registered with the Parishat were handed over with the banner and badges.