With no preparations underway yet, the 86th Akhila Bharatiya Kannada Sahitya Sammelana scheduled to be held on November 11-13 in Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s home district Haveri, will have to be postponed, said Mahesh Joshi, president, Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
This comes days after Mr. Bommai, when quizzed about the lack of preparations during his visit to Haveri, brushed aside concerns and said the sahitya sammelana will be held in a grand way as per the schedule. “Every time they say there is not enough time. But every time we hold the sammelana,” he told mediapersons. Earlier Haveri district in charge Minister A. Shivaram Hebbar had voiced concerns over the lack of preparations.
No logo yet
“At least four preparatory meetings with the Chief Minister have been cancelled till date. He has not even finalised the logo of the sammelana, key to start correspondence, registration of delegates, and other formalities. We are just 35 days away from the scheduled event. The organising committees have not been formed. There is complete chaos and lack of coordination between the Chief Minister, district in charge Minister, and Kannada and Culture minister V. Sunil Kumar. While the Finance Department has released ₹20 crore to the Kannada and Culture Department, not a rupee has been released to the DC, Haveri, till date. How will we organise the sammelana without money?” Dr. Joshi asked.
He said he was saddened at how the sammelana and the parishat were being “neglected and insulted” by the State government. “In fact, because the event is being held in the Chief Minister’s home district and it should have been a top priority and more organised,” he said.
‘Neglect’ of parishat
Dr. Joshi also came down heavily on the State government for what he termed “neglect” of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
“The president of the parishat was a special invitee to Mysuru Dasara and was a member of the selection committee of Rajyotsava awards. Both practices have stopped this year. Also, the earlier draft of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, 2022, had representatives of the parishat in both State and district-level committees for its implementation, but what got passed has only officials,” he rued.
