Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Dec 29: Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy chairman Rahim Uchil on Tuesday December 29 alleged that Mangaluru constituency MLA U T Khader and former chairman of the Beary Sahitya Academy B A Mohammed Hanif are creating unnecessary confusion among people over the construction of Beary Sahitya Academy office and 'Samskrithika Bhavan' at Thokottu.
Speaking at Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy office here, Rahim said, "The foundation stone laying programme for the construction of Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy office building on a 25-cent land at Thokottu was scheduled on January 1 but we have postponed it.
“MLA U T Khader has created confusion among people by giving a statement to a newspaper that the Beary Bhavan would come up on the land which has been reserved for Abbakka Bhavan. A few people questioned the necessity of construction of Beary Sahitya Academy office building before the construction of Rani Abbakka Bhavan and it has created confusion,” he said.
He also said that the former chairman of the academy B A Mohammed Hanif stated that Beary's Welfare Association has constructed a building in Bengaluru. "This is a private building that is being constructed by raising fund," he said.
Rahim also said that there is no connection between the 42-cent land reserved for the construction of Abbakka Bhavan and the 25-cent land reserved for the construction of Beary Bhavan.
“Though the government has provided land and released grants for the construction of the building, it is the failure of the local MLA. Hence, the locals and Abbakka Samithi have decided to hold a protest on January 1. Respecting their demand and as I was one of the representatives in the committee, we have dropped the foundation stone laying programme for Beary Sahitya Academy office. We will go ahead with the project taking everyone into confidence,” he said.
On few people are alleging that Beary Sahitya Academy will conduct religious activities of a religion, Rahim said, “Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy comes under the Kannada and Culture department. There is no provision for religious activities. It is purely meant to carry out art and cultural activities.
“The three storey building of the academy will consist parking in the ground floor, the first floor of the building is meant exclusively for the cultural activities, the office of the Beary Sahitya Academy will come up on the second floor and the third floor in the building is reserved for the office of village accountant and the surveyors. Beary Sahitya Academy office is to bring unity in art and culture,” he said.
Registrar Poornima, members Roopashri Varkady and Roopesh Uchil were present.