Kannada movement has become a farce

BANGALORE: A few pro-Kannada associations stage protests with a motive to make money, well-known researcher Dr M Chidananda Murthy alleged. Speaking at a conference of Bangalore Kannada Associations organised by Kannada Geleyara Bala, he said, “Some pro-Kannada groups  threaten in the name of protests to collect money. Kannada movements have become a farce and transformed into a medium of collecting money. The state government is reluctant to take any action even thogh Maharashtra has approached the court over Belgaum issue. They want Belgaum in their boundary”. State government should wake up and fight the case, he noted. Kannada Janapada Academy chairman Go Ru Channabasappa said, “The state government, which is meant to effectively work towards the development of its land and language, is busy in the Bellary by-polls and Parappana Agrahara Jail. Middlemen in the name of development have started exploiting the language and culture of the land”.Referring to the government’s move to close down Kannada schools, he said, “If hospitals are closed on the grounds that there were no patients, then closing of schools without children is a foolish decision. The state government has decided to encourage English medium schools by closing down  Kannada medium schools. The competitive spirit among Kannadigas has come down,” he observed. ‘Udyama Karnataka’- written by K N Bhagavan and ‘Nooraru Kannada Kaligalu’ -written by K H Narasimhamurthy were released by Kannada Book Authority chairman Dr Siddalingaiah and Ra Num Chandrashekar, president, Gelayara Balaga.