From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Aug 8: Going a step further in projecting Karnataka’s unique identity politics after espousing the cause of Kannada and resisting the imposition of Hindi by the Centre and also mooting a separate flag for the State, the Siddaramaiah regime has already unveiled a separate and exclusive Cultural Policy, which is perhaps the first of its kind initiative for any State.
The State Cabinet, which met with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presiding on a Monday as against the normal practice of having the State Cabinet meetings on Thursday, has approved the Cultural Policy.
The policy, which was approved by the State Cabinet, seeks to curb moral policing and the trend of banning literary works on trivial grounds among other things in a strong move against BJP and the Sangh Parivar outfits which have been very active in the State, especially in the coastal region.
Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra, who briefed reporters after the Cabinet meeting, explained that the Cultural policy was drafted based on the recommendations of a six-member committee headed by noted Kannada writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa.
The Baraguru Ramachandrappa panel had submitted recommendations three years ago.
The panel had submitted a 68-page report with 44 recommendations in June 2014, which was kept in the cold storage since then.
Jayachandra said a grant of Rs 59.68 crore would be given for implementing the policy in 2017-18.
The policy among other things would aimed at formulating measures to curb the tendency of banning Kannada books for trivial reasons.
It also seeks decentralisation of the Department of Kannada and Culture, formation of search committees to select chairpersons to various academies and authorities to de-politicise appointments, establishment of art galleries in every district, formulation of separate programmes to help artistes in distress and establishment of separate academies for Bayalata, Sugama Sangeeta and Nritya as also according priority for local cinema culture in a bid to give a boost to the unique cultural traditions of the State.
The policy act as guidelines for appointments of various heads of academies, selecting personalities for awards, providing scholarships/fellowships, holding programmes at tourist places, construction of Kannada Bhavans, and holding exhibitions.