Eminent litterateurs of Karnataka, including Jnanpith recipient U.R. Ananthamurthy, have suggested that the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) should involve “public-spirited people of integrity, ability and honesty, who have some commitment to socio-political and economic causes” in the proposed assessment of Congress Ministers.
Interestingly, they have also questioned the moral right of professors from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), to assess the performance.
‘Not angels’
On the role of the IIM-B, they said: “The professors from IIM are no angels. It is a fact that the global economy is in the doldrums. Many are of the view that graduates from prestigious management schools of America and the so-called CEOs and CFOs (chief executive officers and chief finance officers) played a greater role in this financial meltdown. For IIM professors, the American schools of management are role models, a fact well known.” In a statement, Mr. Ananthamurthy along with S.G. Siddaramaiah, Suresh Heblikar, P. Mallesh and K. Marulasiddappa have said that candidates who were rejected by people during the last Assembly elections should be kept away from the whole process of assessment.
When contacted, KPCC State president G. Parameshwara said the party would take suggestions from civil society for the evaluation. “The KPCC has members from the IIM-B. We are drafting the criteria and after it is finalised, we will involve eminent personalities from civil society and take help of IIM professionals only if required,” he added.
