Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Panel to be formed for research on Basaveshwara

Staff Correspondent

Ignore the book on Basaveshwara if you don’t agree with the author’s views: Minister

DHARWAD: Minister for Kannada and Culture H.S. Mahadeva Prasad has said in two or three days a committee of research scholars will be set up to take up comprehensive research on 12th century reformer Basaveshwara including issues raised by the writer Banjagere Jayaprakash in his controversial book “Anu Deva Horaganavanu”.

Speaking to presspersons here on Thursday, the Minister appealed to those seeking a ban on the book to simply ignore the literary work if they don’t agree with what the writer said.

Mr. Prasad said various writers and critics had expressed various opinions on the book. The best way to ignore the book was to stop discussing it. Discussions and protests would only help increase the sale of the book, he said.

He said there was neither a need for a discussion on the book nor a need to call for a bandh against it. He said the committee that would be set up would include scholars such as Chidanandamurthy, M.M. Kalburgi and others. It would be finalised immediately, he added.

The Minister said although the Department had temporarily suspended the “janapada jaatre”, it would resume it after considering the report of an experts committee set up to look into issue is given.

The 20-member committee would look into various aspects including the next “janapada jatare”, extending the programme to all the parts of the State and related issues. Mr. Prasad said a preliminary meeting in the first week of July would be held in Belgaum on the “Vishwa Kannada Sammelana” to be conducted in the last week of September. He said a Bill on the cultural policy of the State would be tabled in the legislature session in July or the next session. Two reports had already been submitted on the issue. After gathering more opinions from experts, a Bill would be formulated, he added.

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