Kannada movements have lost charm

BANGALORE: Kannada movements have lost their charm, said noted Kannada litterateur Dr M Chidananda Murthy. He was speaking at a programme organised by Kannada Geleyara Balaga to mark 50 years of Kannada movement in the state.Dividing Kannada movements at present into two categories, he said, “While one part stages protests in the funniest ways, the other lot has resorted to means where they threaten people and engage in collecting money.”“Such is the state of Kannada movements now. The pro-Kannada groups collect anything starting from Rs 50,000 up to Rs 1 lakh from shopkeepers by threatening them,” he lamented and said there is a need to revive Kannada movements.Also speaking at the occasion, Prof L Sheshagiri Rao said, “The protests we stage represents our culture. Protests should represent Karnataka as a part of India.”He called upon the pro-Kannada protesters to walk on the path showed by well-known novelists like A N Krishna Rao.