The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Development agenda has overtaken progress’

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Monday, Feb 18, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Development agenda has overtaken progress’

Special Correspondent

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Secular front: (From left) The former Law Minister Laxmisagar, former judge K. Channabasappa, P. Mallesh and noted writer U.R. Ananthamurthy at the convention in Bangalore on Sunday.

Bangalore: The consolidation of communal forces in Karnataka reflects the failure of secular intellectuals and organisations in forging opinion, said writer and activist Devanoor Mahadeva.

Speaking at Pragatipara Sanghatanegala Okkuta, an alliance of progressive groups here on Sunday, he said that the groups should reach out to the last man and woman in the villages with slogans of love, tolerance and equality. There was no longer any point in endless arguments calling for concrete action as a consolidated and focussed group.

‘Emergency-like days’

Jnanpith winner U.R. Ananthamurthy said that the pervasive sense of anxiety in Karnataka now was like the Emergency days. The possibility of communal forces taking over power was looming large, he said, even as the media was projecting endless reports on “suspected terrorists” without verification. This was leading to a situation where all people belonging to a community were being branded as dangerous. At the global level, the most powerful today are the rightist forces bent on turning the whole world into a market, he said.

Single-agenda

All political parties, cutting across ideological differences, had taken on the agenda of development as opposed to the agenda of progress, said Mr. Ananthamurthy.

This was a far cry from the days when “Garibi Hatao” was the rallying point of the nation. When development becomes the singular agenda, people like Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi become “heroes”, he warned, arguing for “politics with a sense of context”. The “efficient” administration of Mr. Modi, he said, is more dangerous than a system that is corrupt.

Former judge K. Channabasappa said that there was a fast erosion in Karnataka of rights ensured by the Constitution.

Citing the instance of the Permanent Backward Classes Commission Chairperson being forced to drink “theertha” at Madikeri recently by a mob led by the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, he said it was a “free for all” situation in Karnataka.

Representatives of progressive organisations from across Karnataka, spoke on the occasion.

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