Bengaluru: After the murder of writer MM Kalaburgi in Dharwad, the crisis in literary and intellectual circles of Karnataka seems to have deepened further. The state government funded Karnataka Sahithya Academy has given an award to a writer from Mysore KS Bhagwan for literature.
Bhagwan has always been a very controversial figure because of his almost militant like views on Hinduism and Hindu beliefs. He has even tried to burn Hindu holy book Bhagwad Gita in full public view. His critics claim that he has been insulting the Hinduism just to get some cheap publicity.
After Kalaburgi’s murder, Mysore police have given him security. His critics have started an online campaign on Change.Org demanding that the Academy Award given to him should be withdrawn.
The campaign even has the support of Mysore – Kodagu MP Pratap Simha. He has asked the people to sign the petition and ask government of Karnataka not to honour Bhagwan for his hatredness for Hinduism.
The petition says “Karnataka Sahitya Academy has announced on 19/9/2015 its award for the year 2013 to Mr. (Prof) KS Bhagavan. Bhagavan is known as a ridiculous person throughout Karnataka and southern part of India as well, for his unmeaning, invalid and irrelevant statements, for past two years. It is visible that there is a negative public opinion regarding Bhagavan in Karnataka. In spite of this considerable public opinion, the present state Govt. of Karnataka which is led by Siddharamaiah has played a devil’s role against the majority Hindu notions, and awarding Bhagavan.
It is our rightful demand and appeal with the academy to skip off Bhagavan’s name from the published list. It is clear that, not because of intellectual and academic excellence and dexterity he is enlisted, but because of hurting the faith of majority Hindus by his maligning and thoughtless statements. Awarding Bhagavan is nothing but the demeaning of academics and literary world in Karnataka, and for sure it remains as a black spot in the history of Karnataka Sahitya Academy. It is not at all good to award an anti social element with well reputed award like Sahitya Academy. This is the height of dictatorship, the Hitler rule. The government perhaps of the opinion that, power to rule is endless and unquestioned. This is the time to show the potentiality of common public”.
Bhagwan backers are defending the award saying that he deserves it. However the decision to award him is likely to lead to more tension in an already polarised state.
Comments
0 comment