Writer Chandrashekar Patil, who is chairing the 83rd Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana to be held from November 24 to 26 in Mysuru, believes that the issue of language and culture cannot remain isolated from the politics of the day. As Karnataka heads for the Legislative Assembly elections next year, he says that political parties should commit themselves in their manifestos to implementing Kannada as the compulsory language of instruction if voted to power. Excerpts from an interview:
You were in the forefront of the Bandaya (rebel) Sahitya Sammelana organised opposing the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in 1979 chaired by poet Gopalakrishna Adiga. After 38 years, you are occupying the same chair. How do you justify that?
Boycotting the sammelana at that point of time was a historical inevitability, as the [Kannada Sahitya] Parishat was controlled by upper caste and class. Despite our appeal, the then president of the parishat Hampa Nagarajaiah refused to accommodate a session on Dalit issues. This triggered all progressive forces to unite and hold the Bandaya Sahitya Sammelana in Bengaluru. But within 10 years, there was a total transformation in the parishat’s attitude. Go.Ru. Channabasappa, president of the parishat, took the lead in celebrating ten years of the bandaya movement. Now, the situation has changed vastly.
You are opposed to politicians inaugurating the sammelana. But now, you will share the dais with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
I am not against politicians participating in the sammelana per se. I want the Chief Minister to participate in the valedictory programme, as he could react to the issues raised and discussed and the resolutions passed. Politicians have to participate in sammelanas to understand the pulse of people.
There is a perception that your razor-sharp wit got blunted once you became part of the establishment.
You are mistaken. My targets have not changed, but situations have transformed in the last few years. I have become more subtle. Whatever I am saying metaphorically is making far-reaching impact.
Writer Devanur Mahadeva has declined to chair the sammelana till the government implements Kannada as the medium of instruction. Your thoughts.
I have great regards for my friend Mahadeva. I respect his stand. The difference between us is while he wants to fight the system from outside, I want to fight for the cause by being within the system. In my presidential address, I will seek a commitment from all political parties in their manifesto to fight for a constitutional amendment to facilitate regional languages, including Kannada, as the medium of instruction. It will be the duty of all presidents of the sammelana and the parishat to make all political parties honour this commitment, as the Parliamentary elections will be held just one year after the Assembly elections in Karnataka.
Considering the popularity of literature festivals, do you think there is a need to change the format of the sammelana too?
Literature festivals are an attempt by the corporate world to expand their market. They are commodifying culture and literature. There is no need for the sammelana to change its format as it is akshara jatre , a literary fair. Fair is a part of our diversified culture. There is no need to distort this format.
Since sammelana resolutions are barely honoured by the government, do you envisage any mechanism to counter it?
After the sammelana, along with presidents of previous sammelans, I will tour the length and breadth of Karnataka and educate people on the unresolved burning issues of the land and language. Besides that, I am planning to launch what I call a Kannada Sainya (Kannada army), comprising of Kannada organisations, over 1.5 lakh registered members of the parishat and others, to take up all the issues.
