MLC flays govt for not appointing Christians

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
has threatened to stage a protest if the issue was not addressed within a fortnight.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.