Baragur exhorts to uphold Kannada mindset

Mangalore, November 12: Well-known litterateur Dr Baragur Ramachandrappa said that Kannada mindset should not be destroyed with the fake models of globalisation.

Speaking after inaugurating the eighth edition of Alva's Nudisiri 2011 on the theme “Kannada manassu: sangharsha mathu samarasya” at Alva's campus in Moodbidri on Friday, he said with market mindset, Kannada medium schools will not survive. With the real Kannada mindset, Kannada schools will not be shut down in the State. Kannada mindset will not neglect those who have been displaced and will respect women and Dalits.

It will help in building a society with peace and harmony.

“With market mentality, there has been unhealthy competition in the society. Kannadigas should learn English. However, we should not develop market mentality. A situation has arisen wherein mind is converted into a market, which has affected the Kannada mindset.

There is a need to instill confidence among Kannadigas,” he said.

“At a time when economic leadership is ruling us, it has entered education, political and cultural sector. Our Prime Minister and Chief Ministers are bowing their head to the economic leadership and are not in a position to roll back the price hike of petroleum products. When one out of every three person is living below the poverty line, what have we done with liberalisation and globalisation policy?” he asked.

Kannada mindset has accepted regionalism, nationalism and global scenario. Pampa, Vachanas, Sufi literature reflect regionalism. However, we remember them even to this day. Though Gandhi, Ambedkar, Lohia do not belong to Karnataka, there are several poems written on them in Kannada, which reflect our mindset to accept everything. There are poems written on Nelson Mandela as well.

Dr Ramachandrappa said: “If we fail to understand history and puranas, it will give rise to conflict. When one gives importance to cultural autonomy, then there can be no conflict and harmony can be established.”

Unhealthy atmosphere

In his presential address, senior researcher M M Kalburgi said the foreign culture should not affect local culture. The unhealthy atmoshoere gives rise to struggle and qurrel. Though Kannada had digested Sanskrit, the digestion of English language is doubtful. Caste system had spoiled out society from the beginning.

With the exit of British from the country, the Gandhi movement slowly disappeared. However, Ambedkar movement is still alive in various forms. When Gandhian movement was at its roost, the Kannada Navodaya poets wrote poems on nature, love and nationalism.

“In the pre-independence and post independence era, we have seen unfication of Karnataka, Raitha chaluvali, conflict on sharing river water, language movement, Dalit movement, gadinada movement, labour movement and women empowerment movement. Unfortunately, the number of agitations that have been wearing the mask of justice are on the rise. Sathyagraha and hunger strike have become a mockery. The concept of Rama rajya by Gandhi has given rise to Ramasene and BajrangDal.

The communist movement has given rise to Naxalism in the country. Those Kannadigas who have taken part in several movements at the regional and national-level have not become national leaders in Karnataka. Among all the religions, Jainism and Buddhism vanished from the State. However, it was Lingayat community survived and grew in Karnataka,” he said.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA Abhayachandra Jain, Jayasri Amarnath Shetty, Mijarguthu Anand Alva were present. The sovenir on Alva's Nudisiri 2010 was released on the occasion.