JD (S) workers disrupt Kannada meet

The inaugural function of the 73rd All India Kannada Literary Meet was marred by a black flag demonstration by JD (S) supporters, who were protesting against the “insult” meted out to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy by the organizers of the event.

Just before Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa could unfurl the national tricolour to signal the start of the four-day-long All India Kannada Literary Meet at Shimoga yesterday, several JD (S) supporters, holding black flags and tying black bands across their foreheads, raised slogans against the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, which had organized the event, and its President Dr Chandrashekar Patil.

A large posse of policemen, deployed at the venue, managed to prevent the protestors from reaching anywhere near the dais or the flag post.

The protest by JD (S) workers came after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy openly expressed his hurt over the casual invitation extended to him by the organizers. Kumaraswamy also took serious exception to the violation of the official protocol by the organizers.

Traditionally, the Chief Minister of Karnataka has been inaugurating the annual All India Kannada Literary Meet. But, this year, the Kannada Sahitya Parishat had invited BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for the mega event being held at Shimoga. Yediyurappa also happens to be a native of Shimoga.

Not only had the tradition been broken this time by not inviting the Chief Minister for the inaugural function, the Parishat had sent an invitation by post to Kumarasamy and sought him to be present for the valedictory of the Kannada meet.

“As a Chief Minister of the State, I think I deserve to get an invitation. I cannot attend a function without being formally invited”, a visibly angry Chief Minister had told reporters, who met him on the eve of the inaugural function of the Meet. “I have the responsibility of upholding the dignity of my post. They just cannot throw an invitation into my office like a postman and expect me to accept it. I cannot throw protocol and traditions to the wind”, Kumaraswamy said.

Though Kumaraswamy appeared to have almost made up his mind to stay away from the Kannada Meet, he did not make a categorical statement. “I have not made up my mind on either attending or skipping it”, he said.

However, Yediyurappa called up Kumaraswamy and requested him to attend the valedictory of the Kannada Meet.