The 18th district Kannada Sahitya Sammelan got off to a tepid start, with many chief guests not showing up, sessions being held for a sparse audience, and protests by pro-Kannada organisations blemishing its inauguration here on Saturday.
Only Keshav Malagi, who was selected as president of the conference, and the Kammarchedu Mutt seer turned up for the inauguration. Others invited, including Nadoja Patil Puttappa, the veteran journalist who was slated to inaugurate the conference, Pundalik Halambi, president of the State Kannada Sahitya Parishat; B. Sriramulu, MP; and other political representatives did not turn up.
By the time K. Shantappa, who was active during the Karnataka Unification movement, was roped in for the inauguration, the proceedings were already an hour and a half behind schedule.
Moreover, the traditional ceremonial procession was not held as the organisers felt it would “delay proceedings”. Turnout for the conference remained small, and organisers had to rope in students from a couple of government schools and an ITI college to fill up the seats.
Protests
Representatives of various pro-Kannada organisations began raising slogans against Sirigeri Yeriswamy, president of the district parishat, for excluding numerous literary figures and Kannada activists in the conference.
The protesters even attempted to enter the venue, but were held back by the police.
