Writers, activists stage protest against Mahesh Joshi in Hassan
Leaders of various progressive organisations and activists of Hassan, on Wednesday, staged a protest against Kannada Sahitya Parishat's central unit president, Mahesh Joshi. The protesters, alleging that Mr. Joshi was acting like a dictator, demanded his removal from the post.
They took out a protest march from the Hemavathi Statue Circle to the Deputy Commissioner's office. Later they submitted a memorandum to the DC's office.
They alleged Mr. Joshi had unilaterally decided to amend the bylaw of the parishat to enhance his powers. He wanted powers to appoint directors of his choice and also give them voting rights. By such moves, the president was ignoring members of the state executive committee, elected by the voters, the protesters said.
Instead of working to safeguard the interests of Kannada, he had been more interested in exercising his authority as president. 'Many people who held the post earlier worked with utmost simplicity. However, Joshi is facing many allegations. He has not furnished the details of expenses incurred for organizing sammelana at Mandya', they alleged.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
36 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Protest in Dharwad today by writers, linguists, activists against actor's remark
Taking strong exception to the recent remark by veteran actor Kamal Haasan on the origin of Kannada language, several writers, artistes, linguists, intellectuals and Kannada activists will stage a day-long protest in Dharwad on Monday. The protest spearheaded by Karnatak Vidyavardhakh Sangha, a century-old representative body of Kannadigas, will be staged in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad. The protest will begin at 11 a.m. Taking exception to Kamal Haasan's remark on the origin of Kannada, Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha held a consultative meeting on June 2 in which senior Kannada scholars, artistes and intellectuals took part. After due deliberations during the meeting, the sangha passed several resolutions. They are: Despite having stated that 'Tamil is the mother of Kannada and that Kannada originated from Tamil', actor Kamal Haasan has neither apologised to Kannadigas nor expressed regret. He has also not complied with the High Court's directive to tender an apology. The Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha has no opposition either towards Tamil language or Tamil-speaking people as it is known fact that languages originating from Proto-Dravidian language evolved into different languages. Despite this being the truth, Kamal Haasan has reportedly stated that he still intends to speak about Tamil supremacy. He has the right to speak about his language, but belittling or demeaning another language is strongly condemned by the sangha. 'By June 25, Kamal Haasan must withdraw his baseless statement about Kannada language, express regret and apologise to Kannadigas. If he fails to do so, the Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha will be compelled to launch a State-wide intense agitation,' says the resolution passed by the sangha. In pursuance of the decision taken during the consultative meeting, the sangha will stage a dharna on Monday and submit a memorandum registering its protest against the actor's remark.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
"Behaved most irresponsibly": Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Bengaluru stampede
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday reiterated Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje's scathing remark on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar that they had "blood on their hands" for their "irresponsible and insensitive" handling of the crowd outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, which led to a stampede that killed 11 people on June 4 during RCB's IPL victory celebrations . Joshi echoed Karandlaje's statement from a press conference on Saturday, in which she accused the leaders of celebrating despite the tragedy and shifting blame and further called for their immediate resignation. "That is definitely there. I've seen her statement... They have behaved most irresponsibly... Deaths were announced although the celebration was going on... Police have clearly categorically denied that they cannot provide it; it is a risky thing; you don't do it despite all these things... It is the most irresponsible and insensitive behaviour of both the CM (and the Deputy CM)," Joshi said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo His remarks align with Karandlaje's earlier demand, "You have celebrated after their deaths... You have blood on your hands. Listen, Siddaramaiah, listen, DK Shivakumar, you have blood on your hands... You can't blame the Commissioner... You are also a culprit... I demand Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar resign immediately." Joshi also dismissed Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the Election Commission , where the Congress MP alleged that the Maharashtra Assembly election held last year was "rigged" and claimed that the same will be repeated in Bihar assembly polls due later this year. Live Events "The Election Commission has given the reply. At the same time when elections were held in Jharkhand... They have won... If we could, we could also do it there... The same thing was in Karnataka and in Delhi... It is all stupidity," Joshi added. Meanwhile, the Election Commission described the Congress MP's allegation as "unsubstantiated allegations." The ECI stated that spreading misinformation is "disrespect towards law," and attempts to defame are "completely absurd."
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
When Rajinikanth chose reconciliation over rhetoric with Karnataka during the 2008 'Kuselan' controversy
In 2008, ahead of the release of his film 'Kuselan,' Superstar found himself at the center of a storm over the long-standing between and . During a Tamil film industry protest in Chennai demanding the implementation of the Supreme Court's order on the water issue, Rajinikanth made strong remarks urging the Karnataka government to release water. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now His words, though echoing the sentiments of Tamil Nadu, sparked a sharp backlash in Karnataka. A ban looms over the film Pro-Kannada groups responded swiftly, calling for a ban on the release of 'Kuselan' across Karnataka. The situation escalated, and distributors in the state began to pull back, fearing violence and loss. Realizing the gravity of the situation and how it could impact his fans and the film industry, Rajinikanth decided to take a conciliatory path. He issued a public apology to the people and government of Karnataka, stating that he did not intend to hurt anyone's sentiments. The superstar steps back for peace In a televised message, Rajinikanth said, 'If my words have hurt the people of Karnataka, I sincerely apologize.' His heartfelt gesture was seen as a move to diffuse tensions and restore peace. The apology was widely circulated and helped ease the pressure around the film's release. Following this, 'Kuselan' was allowed to be released in Karnataka, although with limited screening due to lingering protests. A moment that defined the man This incident remains a key moment in Rajinikanth's political and public image, portraying him as a statesman-like figure who prioritized harmony over confrontation. His balanced response was appreciated by many, even as some in Tamil Nadu debated the need for an apology. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Nonetheless, Rajinikanth's 2008 move is still recalled today as a rare instance of a megastar navigating the political sensitivities between two states with restraint and maturity. This incident is now cited in contrast to current controversies, like 's 'Thug Life' and the Kannada language row, where no apology was issued. Rajinikanth's gesture is viewed as a diplomatic move that helped protect his film's release and maintain public goodwill.
