The Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP), which till now fought for the cause of the language through more conciliatory methods, is resorting to a legal fight to save Kannada schools in Karnataka. The parishat has invited 84 prominent personalities, including writers, educationists and lawyers, to give suggestions and to help file a public interest litigation before the high court, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
KSP Chairman Mahesh Joshi said thousands of government schools in Karnataka are in a bad shape. "Many of these schools do not have toilets, proper classrooms and other basic amenities that have led to the shutting down of these schools. Students are dropping out and if this continues, we will lose many Kannada schools," he said.
Joshi said that all these years, KSP submitted memorandums to the government, conducted signature campaigns, passed pro-Kannada resolutions during Sahitya Sammelanas and even took part in protests concerning Kannada. "It is for the first time that we are taking up a legal fight to save our schools. We are going to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the court, seeking its attention to save these schools," he said.
Many prominent personalities, like Justice Nagmohan Das, Jnanpith awardee Chandrashekar Kambara, writer Doddarangegowda, academics and others, will join a round table meet today, Wednesday, December 13.
Meanwhile, the 87th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana scheduled to be held in Mandya in December may not happen anytime soon. It was Kannada Sahitya Parishat that requested the state government to postpone the dates a few months ago as the state is witnessing a drought.
"All the seven taluks in Mandya district have been declared drought-hit. That was the reason we wanted it postponed. Though we voluntarily sought the postponement, the state government spent crores on Dasara and is now shelling out for Bengaluru Habba too," Joshi said.
Joshi, along with district in-charge minister N Cheluvarayaswamy, will meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the legislature session that is going on in Belagavi.
KSP sources said the Sahithya Sammelana may not happen for quite some time as the election code of conduct will come into effect ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year and before that, it will be exam time. As most participants at the Sammelana are teachers, they may not attend, they said.
