Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) president Pundalika Halambi has told the State government to close down the parishat if it cannot release the annual grants on time.
He was speaking at a seminar on Jnanapith award winners U.R. Ananthamurthy, Girish Karnad, and Chandrashekar Kambar here on Sunday.
InsultExpressing disappointment over the absence of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil at the function, Mr. Halambi said it was not the first time that such an insult was heaped on the parishat.
“The State government has not been supporting the century-old Kannada organisation for the past few years.”
Previous incidentsHe said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not attend a function to present the Nrupathunga Award of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation to writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa and Minister of State for Kannada and Culture Umashree skipped the Basava Jayanti celebration organised by the parishat at Kudala Sangama. Mr. Patil did not attend the function as he was in New Delhi to meet senior Congress leaders.
“This shows the scant respect the Ministers have for Kannada and the parishat.”
Mr. Halambi said the parishat did not have enough funds and he had to wait for long at the Vidhana Soudha for Ministers to seek the annual grant.
DemandMr. Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, should make his stand clear on whether he would release the grants or not, he added.
The former KSP president G.S. Siddalingaiah said some Ministers had treated him with contempt when he headed the institution.
“Mr. Halambi did not ask for any personal favour and his observations are correct,” he added. Mr. Kambar was felicitated by Mr. Halambi and while Esther, the wife of Mr. Ananthamurthy, received the honours on his behalf. Ko. Channabasappa, president of the 79th Akhila Karnataka Kannada Sahitya Sammelan at Bijapur was present.
