Newskarnataka – Mysore
Mysore: A day after a section of Kannada activists staged a protest against the state government’s decision to close the NTM School and build a memorial for Swami Vivekananda, Writers and Kannada activists, who are supporting the state government’s decision on Tuesday said that the government is within its right to handover the property to Sri Ramakrishna Mission.
Stopping short of denouncing the action of those who are protesting the closure of the century-old Kannada school, they said that the project to build the memorial “is a progressive one and should be supported by all”. Protesters had also threatened to launch a hunger strike to press for their demand.
In a statement, Swami Vivekananda Samskrutika Yuva Kendra Samiti has said that the government’s decision to handover the property is a natural progression. The statement has been signed by writers De Javare Gowda, Prabhushankar, C P Krishnakumar and Malali Vasantha Kumar, politician Madegowda and area corporator D Nagbushan.
Tracking the history of the government’s move to handover the prime property to the religious organization free of cost, they said that it was discussed in detail before being decided by the government. Pointing at the discussion in the assembly and the cabinet decision taken by the previous BJP government, they stated: “Following an approval by the legislature, the executive initiated the process, which has been upheld by the judiciary. The administration is finally doing its job. This is natural process in a healthy democracy. This doesn’t behove anybody to oppose the progressive project unreasonably. It is not known on what basis or reason that these good deeds are being opposed.”
Stating that Sri Ramakrishna Mission has promoted Kannada, they said that many litterateurs, including poet laureate Kuvempu, D V Gundappa, T S Venkannaiah, Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, Shivaram Karanth, V K Gokak, Da Ra Bendre, G S Shivarudrappa and Nissar Ahmad, have lauded the services of the religious organization in promoting Kannada literature.
“Those opposing it (handing over of the property) should take note of Sri Ramakrishna Mission’s works and the government’s stand. Dropping their opposition will be a sign of maturity,” they stated.
This comes days after the deputy director of public instruction was directed to handover the property to the religious institution to build a memorial for Vivekananda. District minister V Srinivas Prasad has contended that the Congress government is only honoring the BJP government’s cabinet decision.
