Literary Fest is no political forum for pseudo-secularism: Union Minister

Mysuru: Under attack by writers, Union Minister and BJP leader H.N. Ananth Kumar hit back at them at the valedictory of the 83rd Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana at Maharaja’s College Grounds yesterday. Noting that the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana is not the platform to discuss politics, preach bogus secularism and to propagate who should be voted to power, the Union Minister observed that the stage has been maligned by politics taking precedence. Expressing displeasure over the Literary Meet turning out to be a platform for pseudo-secularism, Ananth Kumar decried the use of literary platform for promoting the political agenda of a few. Alleging that the platform is being used to propagate pseudo-secularism, which is a shame, he said that the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana represents over six crore Kannadigas and is not the private property of any political party to push its agenda. Observing that Kannada should not be used as a tool of political propaganda as Kannada is above all this, he said that one should be cautious during such Meets as Kannadigas in other States will be looking for the messages that would emerge from the same to strengthen the cause of Kannada. Ananth Kumar also came down heavily on the organisers of the Meet for not extending an invitation to the Mysuru royal family, as they were instrumental in establishing Kannada Sahitya Parishat. “The Kannada Sahitya Parishat was established by the then Mysuru Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar 103 years ago,” he pointed out.