Political leaders lack love and respect for Kannada: K S Bhagavan

Mysuru: Writer K S Bhagavan on Sunday opined that the

political

leaders in the state lack

love

and

respect

for

Kannada

.

The writer, who inaugurated the district Kannada Literary Unit at Negilayogi Maruleshwara Seva Bhavan, compared political leaders of Karnataka to that of Tamil Nadu. The leaders in Tamil Nadu display respect towards their mother tongue and they have a commitment towards Tamil and that is why Tamil language is growing, he said. However, when it comes to Karnataka, Kannada is absent in state capital Bengaluru.

In the post-Independence era, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra increased their value based on language, said Bhagavan. Tamil Nadu and Periyar played a vital role against imposition of Hindi. For any development, India looks to European countries. Kannadigas should work towards being think-tanks and bring innovations so that other countries also look at India for inspirations, the writer said. In the 12th century, the Sharanas and in 20th century, poet laureate Kuvempu turned the world towards Karnataka, Bhagavan said.

On the occasion, a Rajyotsava poets meet was organised.