Shettar dares writers to contest polls

Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar has challenged the litterateurs supporting the Congress to enter the election fray.

Speaking to reporters at Hirekerur in Haveri district on Saturday, Shettar said that the litterateurs, if interested in politics, should contest elections as the candidates of the political party they were supporting and let the people decide their popularity.

“Litterateurs should ensure that society progresses on the right path. It does not befit them to act as spokespersons of a particular political party,”  he said. 

Shettar was in Hirekerur to take part in a roadshow for Shivakumar Udasi, the BJP candidate for Haveri Lok Sabha constituency.

Jnanapith awardees Girish Karnad, Prof U R Ananthamurthy and a host of other writers have come in the open supporting the Congress and also campaigned for Nandan Nilekani, the Congress nominee for Bangalore South.

However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, speaking to reporters in Bangalore, said that the BJP leaders had no common sense to realise that writers too had freedom to support the parties of their choice. 

Referring to Shettar’s naxal jibe against Ananthamumrthy, he said BJP leaders should first read books penned by litterateurs before passing comments on them. He said BJP, which claims to be the custodian of Indian culture, should learn to respect the men of letters.

Addressing a press meet in Mysore, thinker G K Govinda Rao said that senior BJP leaders had been shown the doors or sidelined in the party due to “intolerant and vindictive” attitude of Narendra Modi. He said Modi had tremendous inferiority complex and cannot stand opposition of any kind.

Writer K Marulasiddappa said that writers and intellectuals across the country had decided to unite against Modi.

He welcomed the decision made by writers S L Bhyrappa and Chidanandamurthy to support to Modi, and said that it was better for writers to have an opinion, rather than supporting a party surreptitiously.