Kannada Sahitya Sammelana: Go Ru Channabasappa lists 21 demands, urges govt to fulfil

Mandya: Writer Go Ru Channabasappa (GoRuCha) listed out 21 issues and urged the state government to act on them in his presidential speech during the 87th Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana inaugural session, in the 'Sugar Town' of Mandya, on Friday.

GoRuCha demanded that Kannada be made the medium of instruction in all schools in Karnataka up to 10th standard, by providing better infrastructure and facilities.

“All government and private industries, offices and business establishments should have boards in Kannada. Those who violate should be penalised. The Centre should be pressurised to formulate a national policy to solve medium of instruction, border, water disputes and migration problems,” he said.

Pointing out that the report of the Sarojini Mahishi Commission has not been implemented even after four decades, GoRuCha said, its recommendations should be legislated and implemented through the Kannada Development Authority, to provide reservation to Kannadigas in the private sector.

He also advocated decentralisation of both government and private offices and industries and said that factories be established in all districts, to facilitate more jobs to Kannadigas. “All possible offices of the directors of departments should be shifted to various districts, to decongest Bengaluru,” he added.

GoRuCha said, “The Karnataka government, which has declared Basavanna as the Cultural Leader of Karnataka and is constructing a new Anubhava Mantapa building, should form an autonomous authority for the preservation and conservation of the edifices and structures of the 12th century sharanas. The works on the Vachanas University should be completed and the courses be started by the next academic year, as assured”.

He said, “Sufficient data should be created in Kannada to be available on the internet for search engines. AI should be efficiently used for this purpose. Kannada script should be adopted to modern technologies. If technology is used, it becomes a language of livelihood”.

On Hindi imposition, GoRuCha said, “Central governments, both present and past, have been trying to impose Hindi on us. The banking and postal sector is filled with those having Hindi background. Hindi is dominating competitive exams. Providing opportunities to Kannadigas in jobs will not amount to violation of either Constitution or federalism”.

"Kannada and Folklore universities need special attention and support of the government. They cannot be managed like other universities, where the students pay the fees to make it self-sustainable or profitable. Staff and funds crunch problems should be solved," he further added.

“There is a need for a debate on the finances and tax devolution between the Centre and State. The statements of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the issue should not be politicised, but be seen as a step to safeguard the interest of the state and its people,” GoRuCha said.

“Libraries should be strengthened, to educate the future generations. Besides, bulk purchase of books should be done on an annual basis to add books to the libraries and also to empower the writers and publishers. Library cess, collected in various agencies, should be spent only on libraries,” he said.

“Government and scholars should take steps to empower and strengthen the Classical Kannada Centre and explore possibilities of Central support,” he added.