Ko. Channabasappa, writer and president of the 79th Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, has stressed the need to resolve water-sharing problems with neighbouring States by mutual understanding and by maintaining a cordial relationship.
Delivering his presidential address at the sammelan here on Saturday, the nonagenarian asserted that Karnataka should make use of its share of the Cauvery and the Krishna. This, however, should follow the evolution of a compromise formula, he said.
“We all must ensure provision of water to the land that has been giving life to us by fully utilising our water share, but this does not mean we should wage a war against our neighbouring State to achieve this,” Mr. Chennabasappa said.
He said writers should urge leaders to evolve a compromise formula that is in the interest of the riparian States.
“Such a formula was evolved in February 1999 under the leadership of the then political leader, late H.N. Nanjegowda and Rashtrakavi G.S. Shivarudrappa that facilitated the coming together of farmers and writers of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. That initiative was so successful that representatives of both States appreciated it immensely,” he said.
On land acquisition
He criticised the government on its policy of acquiring farmland for industrial purposes. He alleged that the government was forcefully acquiring huge tracts of land from farmers and offering it to industrialists under the pretext of development.
“The land bank policy of the government is nothing but the rape of the motherland in broad daylight,” he said.
On dubbing
Sharing his views on the contentious issue of dubbing in the Kannada film industry, he said there was nothing wrong in dubbing films if such films could not be made in Kannada. “There are many films in other languages that are very creative and help enhance our knowledge. However, such films are not easy to make in Kannada and thus, I believe it is not wrong in dubbing such films in Kannada,” he said.
On schools’
On the government closing down Kannada-medium schools for want of students, Mr. Channabasappa called upon the people to introspect. He said many parents are under the impression that their children can have a bright future only when they are sent to English-medium schools. This had led to declining strength in Kannada-medium schools.
