<p>Bengaluru, dhns: Criticising the state government for not including any member of the Christian community while appointing heads and members for various cultural and literary bodies, Congress MLC Ivan D’ Souza<br />has threatened to stage a protest if the issue was not addressed within a fortnight.</p>.<p>Addressing a news conference, he accused the government of ignoring the community which comprised four per cent of the state’s population and was behind the first-ever Kannada dictionary. “Failing to recognise even one Christian while appointing 250 people is a serious issue,” he said.</p>.<p>Four of the nine presidents of Konkani Sahitya Academy hailed from the community, while almost three-fourth of the books published in the language were authored by Konkani-speaking Christians, he said.</p>.<p>“If the chief minister and Kannada and culture minister do not appoint Konkani Christians to these bodies, a protest will be staged, with writers from Konkani Christian community, in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue,” he said.</p>.<p>D’Souza also pulled up the state government for not setting up Christian Development Corportation, despite the previous government setting aside Rs 200 crore for welfare schemes aimed at the community.</p>.<p>It can be recalled that two members appointed to Beary Sahitya Academy had decided to tender their resignation, stating that they had not worked in the field of Beary literature.</p>
<p>Bengaluru, dhns: Criticising the state government for not including any member of the Christian community while appointing heads and members for various cultural and literary bodies, Congress MLC Ivan D’ Souza<br />has threatened to stage a protest if the issue was not addressed within a fortnight.</p>.<p>Addressing a news conference, he accused the government of ignoring the community which comprised four per cent of the state’s population and was behind the first-ever Kannada dictionary. “Failing to recognise even one Christian while appointing 250 people is a serious issue,” he said.</p>.<p>Four of the nine presidents of Konkani Sahitya Academy hailed from the community, while almost three-fourth of the books published in the language were authored by Konkani-speaking Christians, he said.</p>.<p>“If the chief minister and Kannada and culture minister do not appoint Konkani Christians to these bodies, a protest will be staged, with writers from Konkani Christian community, in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue,” he said.</p>.<p>D’Souza also pulled up the state government for not setting up Christian Development Corportation, despite the previous government setting aside Rs 200 crore for welfare schemes aimed at the community.</p>.<p>It can be recalled that two members appointed to Beary Sahitya Academy had decided to tender their resignation, stating that they had not worked in the field of Beary literature.</p>
