BIDAR: Differences between the Kannada Sahitya Parishat and the reception committee of the 72nd Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, which was scheduled to be held here from May 6, reportedly caused the postponement of the meet.

The timing of the sammelan is said to have been the main issue between the parishat and the reception committee. While the parishat wanted the sammelan to be organised in May, the reception committee preferred it to be held in November. The committee members — the Minister in charge of the Bidar district, Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli, MLAs and MLCs — were concerned that they would not be able to spare time for the sammelan as taluk and zilla panchayat elections are round the corner. But the parishat felt that the sammelan, which was scheduled for 2004, should be held without further delay.

`Unprofessional ways'

Sources told The Hindu that the parishat central committee is upset with the reception committee for having adopted "unprofessional methods'' to organise the sammelan.

The committee has not been able to raised funds. The zilla panchayat, which had promised to provide Rs. 15 lakhs, has only released Rs. 1 lakh. No donations from the local people have been received, none of the 30 proposed subcommittees have been formed, and groups of volunteers have not been organised. As the reception committee has not made preparations, they are seeking more time, a senior member of the parishat said.

On the other hand, the committee is said to be upset about what it considers the parishat's inflexibility. Although the venue of the sammelan was decided upon last year, the reception committee was formed only two months ago. "We have not had time for completing preparations and seeking donations," a senior member of the committee said. "We will need at least 35 days to hold fund-raisers with the cooperation of industry houses and other donors, even if we hold one meeting a day. Those in the business of putting up marquees, in Udgir and Hyderabad, whom we contacted, say they need three weeks to set up the pandal."

The committee member said the parishat's preparations for publishing 72 books, which it promised would be released during the sammelan's inauguration, are not complete.

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