Bangalore: Kannada Sahitya Parishat, which is in the forefront of the agitation against the introduction of English as a subject from the first standard in schools, is one of the four organisations chosen for the prestigious Ekikarana Award for its contribution to the movement for the unification of the State. Some writers and Kannada activists who figure prominently on the list of writers supporting the parishat's stand on the issue have also been conferred the Ekikarana Award.

This acquires special significance because at a meeting convened on October 9 on the parishat premises, a section of writers strongly condemned the Government's "anti-Kannada" decision to introduce English from the first standard. More importantly, some of them even put forward a proposal to stay away from all celebrations and initiatives linked to the Suvarna Karnataka celebrations, though a consensus was not reached on the issue.

However, the mood in the same circles seems less militant now. Speaking to The Hindu , parishat president Chandrashekar Patil expressed his "personal opinion" that it may not be entirely correct to link present-day issues with the award, which recognises the parishat's role in the movement 50 years ago. An official stand on the award, however, would be taken in a meeting on October 27, he added.

G. Narayana, Vyasaraya Ballal and H.S. Doreswamy, Ekikarana veterans who have backed the parishat's stand against the introduction of English and have been chosen for the award, expressed happiness over the honour. They have criticisms, though, on what they believe is the sidelining of the aspirations of the unification movement over the past 50 years.

Mr. Doreswamy said the attitude of "playing to the galleries" was not good on the issue of education.

Writers, who now stood divided on the issue, should sink their differences and work together and bring language experts into the debate.

Mr. Narayana said the award and the language issue should be kept separate. The major issues that needed attention now were those of providing employment to Kannadigas and making Kannada the administrative language in a more holistic way. It was important, he said, to not lose one's identity in the name of cosmopolitanism.

While welcoming the award "given in recognition of work done 50 years ago without expecting anything in return," Mr. Ballal said the Government should concentrate on providing basic infrastructure in schools in rural areas instead of adding the burden of English.

Ambivalent note

Striking a more ambivalent note, Mr. Channabasappa, who was the most vociferous in the October 9 meeting, said it seemed "illogical" to fete those who fought for unification on the one hand and work against the aspirations of the movement on the other. He was yet to receive official communication on the award and would decide what to do once he heard from the Government, he added.

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