Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader D K Shivakumar
Credit: PTI File Photo
A group of litterateurs has condemned Deputy Chief Minister
D K Shivakumar’s statement defending his meeting with heads of academies at the Congress office.
After the meeting, Shivakumar had said litterateurs are politicians too, and there is nothing wrong in having a meeting at party office as they were appointed by the government. In an open letter, a group of 20 writers and litterateurs condemned Shivakumar’s statement and sought an apology from him.
“We would like to know whether the chief minister and other ministers agree with the deputy chief minister’s statement. The statement was shocking,” they stated in the letter.
“He (DKS) must apologize. Writers and litterateurers are not followers of any political party and if he feels progressive thinkers are under government’s compulsion it is his foolishness,” they mentioned.
They further stated that, if this attitude of the deputy chief minister continues, then progressive thinkers will be forced to express their non cooperation to the state government as they did for the Modi government.
“Academies are not like boards and corporations. They are autonomous bodies and even if the government appoints heads and members, the appointments were based on their achievements in the respective fields,” they said.
The letter is signed by writers and educationists, including H S Anupama, Rehamath Tarikere, H S Raghavendra Rao, Kesari Haravu, Chandrashekar Vaddu, B Suresha and V P Niranjanaradhya.