For the first time, several life members of Kannada Sahitya Parishat have come out openly against Sirigeri Yerriswamy, President of Bellary district unit, and have demanded stern action against the latter for allegedly embezzling the Parishat funds.
In a letter to Pundalik Halambi, President of the State unit, Badami Shivalinga, General Secretary of district unit of Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Manjunath, President of Hagari Bommanahalli Taluk unit, along with Siddaram Kalmath, Pompapati, H.K. Gouri Shankar, Chandrashekar, all life members, have demanded that Yerriswamy should be divested of all his powers and initiate stern disciplinary and legal action against him.
Siddaram Kalmath, on behalf of others, charged Yerriswamy functioned in a dictatorial manner sidelined and sacked the office bearers and other life members, who questioned his style of functioning.
“The way he has been organising functions pertaining to propagation of Kannada, endowment lectures in primary schools, brought disrespect to Kannada. He never released the funds received from central committee to the Taluk units to organise endowment lectures and Taluk level Kannada Sammelans.
Recently, a section of media, including print, has come out with details as to how he has misused the funds. Even before further damage is caused to the reputation of the Parishat, Mr. Halambi should immediately act and withdraw the powers of Yerriswamy”, he said.
