The Hindu : Karnataka News : No politics in film industry stir: Dharam Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 26, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

No politics in film industry stir: Dharam Singh

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, NOV. 25. Hundreds of volatile Kannada film fans led by matinee idol Rajkumar staged a protest in front of the Vidhana Soudha today and secured an assurance from the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, that the Government would find an amicable solution to the problems confronting the Kannada film industry.

Many film artistes and leaders of the industry participated in the protest. The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Dalit Sangarsha Samithi (DSS) and Karunada Sene supported the rally.

Kannadigas' interest

Addressing the protesters, the leaders claimed that they were not merely espousing the cause of the film industry but also that of the Kannada language and Kannadigas.

Speaking to presspersons after addressing the protesters at the west gate of the Vidhana Soudha, the Chief Minister said he did not find any politics in the agitation by the Kannada film industry. The artistes, producers, directors and others were demanding a three-week moratorium on the exhibition of non-Kannada films in the State. The Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, and he had already held several rounds of talks with the leaders of the industry, he added.

Law and order

Asked about the law and order problem on account of agitations, he said: "The Government is firm in dealing with law and order." Both public and private property would be protected and action taken against those who took the law into their own hands, he added.

The Government had constituted a high-level committee headed by the Principal Secretary for Finance, K.P. Pandey, to look into the problems of the Kannada film industry. The committee had held several meetings with Kannada film producers, directors, exhibitors and distributors.

The Minister for Water Resources and Transport, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, said that the issue had to be resolved by taking into account the constitutional issue on the one hand and people's sentiments on the other.

Sensitive issues with regard to the Kannada language and the film industry would be sorted out through negotiations, he added.

Prakash confident

The Minister for Revenue, M.P. Prakash, said the leaders of the film industry were confident that the Government would solve their problems. "I am confident that under the able leadership of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister all contentious issues will be resolved."

The producers, directors, exhibitors and distributors had given a number of suggestions on taxation, infrastructure, and modifications to rules and regulations. The Government would study in detail all issues pertaining to the Kannada film industry.

Mr. Prakash noted that the Karnataka Government was ahead of other State governments in assisting the film industry of the State. It had already given several concessions to the industry, he said.

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