Writer and trade union leader K.S. Sharma has emphasised the need for literature that creates awareness among people about social maladies and inspires them to fight such evils and exploitation.
Delivering his speech as the Sammelan Sarvadhyaksha at the 16th Dharwad Zilla Kannada Sahitya Sammelan in Dharwad on Wednesday, Prof. Sharma minced no words while expressing displeasure over those writers who are divided on the basis of caste and class.
He said that writers will be betraying society they live in if they produce literature that compliments and promotes exploitation and exploiters.
“Although they are intelligent, they are divided on the lines of caste and class. They have been opportunistic and selfish. They have turned a blind eye towards injustice, atrocities, corruption and exploitation and you cannot expect any revolutionary literature from such writers,” he said.
Prof. Sharma said that India can be a pioneer of a new world only if it becomes a country free of exploitation and a society without class and castes.
Disappointment
Inaugurating the two-day Kannada literary fest, senior writer Siddalinga Pattanashetti expressed his disappointment over the dwindling standards of Kannada teachers.
He said that Kannada teachers who have no knowledge of history and tradition of Kannada literature are teaching Kannada in colleges. Expressing concern over the situation, he said that it will be difficult to save Kannada if one did not understand the words and grammar in their right perspective.
Elaborating on the contribution of various Kannada writers to the world of literature, he said that the works of Jnanpith award winner Da Raa Bendre should be translated into other Indian languages to enable literary enthusiasts in other parts of the country to read and enjoy the poet’s exemplary works.
Delivering the keynote address, Shantinath Dibbad said that making doctoral degree for those aspiring to be college teachers has actually resulted in severe deterioration in the quality of research works. Literature should not only be a means of entertainment but it should lead to enlightenment, he said.
Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University K.G. Gudasi, president of the 15th Dharwad Zilla Sahitya sammelan Dharanendra Kurkuri, JSS secretary Ajith Prasad, president of Dharwad District Kannada Sahitya Parishat Lingaraj Angadi and others were present.
Earlier, Prof. Sharma was taken in a colourful procession to Sannidhi auditorium on JSS College campus from the main building of the college.
Various sessions were held on the inaugural day followed by cultural programmes in the evening.
