New regional party planned

By Our Staff Correspondent

GULBARGA, DEC. 7. A group of intellectuals, writers and cine artistes have decided to float a new social organisation, with the blessings of the Kannada film star, Mr. Rajkumar, which will later be converted into a regional political party to protect the interests of Kannada and Karnataka.

Disclosing this at a press conference here today, Prof. Chandrasekhar Patil, former chairman of the Kannada Development Authority and a noted columnist, said that the idea had been discussed with Mr. Rajkumar. The actor did not have any objection to the plan and agreed to back it, but he declined to head the organisation.

Prof. Patil said that previous attempts to float a regional party had failed because of certain mistakes. But those behind the proposed new organisation would attempt to avoid the mistakes that had been committed earlier.

Others behind the move included the noted writer and dalit activist, Mr. Devanur Mahadev; the noted writer, Mr. Krishna Masadi; the journalist, Mr. C.S. Dwarakinath; Mr. Sridhar; Dr. L. Hanumanthaiah and others. Many were operating behind the scenes and would come out into the open after the new social organisation was floated.

Prof. Patil said organisations such as Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha factions headed by Prof. M.D. Nanjundaswamy and Mr. Puttanaiah, and film and stage artistes had also been informed about the intention to float a social organisation and the response had been very encouraging. "We want all these important leaders to be part of the new social organisation and play a vital role in the proposed regional party."

Writers, he said, had been in the forefront whenever there was a threat to the language or the interests of Karnataka and cited the example of the Gokak agitation which was led by intellectuals. Now it was the responsibility of intellectuals to float a regional political party to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the State.

Prof. Patil said the absence of a powerful regional party had proved detrimental to Karnataka's interests. The days when national parties dominated the political arena were over. Powerful regional parties such as the Telugu Desam, DMK, AIADMK and Asom Gana Parishad now controlled the country's politics and were using their clout to extract the maximum benefits from the Union Government for their respective States.

To a question, he said the foremost demand of the new social organisation, which would be floated shortly, would be to extend Article 370, which is applicable to only Jammu and Kashmir, to all the States to give them more powers. The Centre should concern itself only with Defence, Communications, Currency and Foreign Affairs. This would enable the State Government to end the regional imbalance in development which was mainly due to favouritism and red-tapism.

On Mr. Rajkumar's role in the new organisation, Prof. Patil said "we want to use the potential of Mr. Rajkumar to unify all the Kannada forums under one umbrella and create a Kannada-oriented social organisation".

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Public debate on VAT system
Next     : Two arrested, property worth Rs.4 lakhs recovered