Life is more important than literature: Baragur

“We should all realise that life is more important than literature and the right to life is more important than right to freedom of expression. Governments should strive to ensure right to life to the people. Once that is assured, the rest will follow,” Baragur Ramachandrappa, president of the 82nd all India Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, said here on Sunday.

Speaking at the valedictory of the sammelan, Prof. Ramachandrappa said that for millions, the right to life and livelihood came before everything else.

“When we guarantee them the freedom to live, they will ensure that the language they speak lives and that there is unfettered freedom of expression,” he said.

Raichur example

This has been proved by the people of Raichur.

They have welcomed lakhs of visitors to the sammelan and treated them well. Lakhs have participated in the deliberations voluntarily, without anyone bringing them here by force or by inducement. This shows that Kannada has a bright future, he said.

Study

He said that for all studies that claimed Kannada was a dying language, there was another study that Kannada had a great future.

“Don’t let such studies floating around in the internet scare you. Kannada has survived multifarious attacks over thousands of years. It will not disappear easily,” he said.

Manu Baligar, Kannada Sahitya Parishat president, said that he would ensure clean and fair administration in the parishat during his three-year term.

“In the last eight months since I have taken charge, no politician has tried to influence me on any issue. I assure you that I am not someone who will yield to political pressure,” he said.

MP B.V. Naik, and MLAs, MLCs, and other leaders were present.