BANGALORE: The Kannada Sahitya Parishat has planned a five-point programme to mark Suvarna Karnataka, the 50th anniversary of the unification of the State.

Speaking at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Press Club of Bangalore here on Tuesday, Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Chandrashekar Patil said that even after five decades many problems of the State remain unsolved. The Suvarna Karnataka celebrations would become meaningful only if the Government makes sincere efforts to implement the recommendations of various reports such as the Mahajan Commission report on the boundary dispute and the Sarojini Mahishi Committee report on employment for local people.

The five programmes chalked out by the parishat are taking out cultural jathas in 52 border taluks of the State, holding seminars on the unification of Karnataka, creating awareness about Kannada language and culture in cities and universities outside the State, publications of major works produced by eminent Kannada writers and construction of a building on the parishat premises at Chamarajpet in Bangalore.

He said Rs. 2 crores has been sought from the Government for the construction of the building, which will be named Suvarna Karnataka Research Centre.

On the relevance of the Sarojini Mahishi Committee report on providing jobs to local people in the public and private sectors, Mr. Patil said preference should be given to Kannadigas on merit.

Referring to the border dispute with Maharashtra, he said Belgaum is a part of Karnataka and there can be no compromise on it.

Five taluks on the borders of Maharashtra and Kerala will become part of the State if the Mahajan Commission report recommendations are implemented in full.

`Border areas neglected'

Marathi-speaking people have been raising the border issue on account of the neglect of the border areas by the State Government, he said.

Referring to a suggestion made by Jnanpith Award-winner U.R. Ananthamurthy on starting a Centre for Marathi Studies in Karnatak University, Dharwad, to assuage the feelings of Marathis, Mr. Patil said Mr. Ananthamurthy had made the suggestion without verifying the facts.

A department for Marathi Studies has already been opened in Karnatak University and a postgraduate centre at Belgaum. Mr. Ananthamurthy should have suggested to the Maharashtra Government to open a Centre for Kannada Studies in that State, Mr. Patil said.

A three-day All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelan will be held in Bidar from January 27 and it will not be postponed, Mr. Patil said.

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