Beltangady: Litterateur Kudyady Vishwanath Rai Voices Need for Tulunadu State
By Shekar Ajekar
Daijiworld Media Network—Beltangady (RD/CN)
Beltangady, Nov 24: “The Tulu natives of undivided Dakshina Kannada (DK) district had not demanded the state of Tulunadu during the linguistic division of Indian states. Now the time has come for all Tulu natives to pressurize the union government with the demand for a separate Tulunadu state”, said renowned Tulu litterateur and Yakshagana artiste Kudyady Vishwanath Rai.
He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Tuluvere Parba’ at the taluk stadium here on Tuesday November 24.
MLA Vasant Bangera, in his presidential address, said, “Yakshagana plays which are usually staged in Kannada should be in Tulu language since the artistes and sponsors are locals”.
Bangera also urged all Tulu natives to join in the struggle for Tulunadu.
“As long as all Tulu natives are united, nobody can try to change the course of the Netravati River. Those who proposed changing the course of the Netravati River have no brains”, said Harikrishna Punaroor, former president, Karnataka Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
“The natives of the undivided coastal district are undergoing tremendous hardships as the vast fertile farmlands held by them are being exploited in the guise of development. They can no longer bear the brunt of exploitation and it will be an appropriate time to revolt in order to demand a separate Tulunadu”, he added.
Most Holy Redeemer parish priest Fr James D’Souza, and Moulavi U K Abdul Aziz also spoke on the occasion.
Konkani Sahitya Academy president Kundapur Narayan Kharvi, S R Laxman, Somanath, Sheela Shetty, K A Rohini, Baby, Tanuja Shekar, Anantharama Bangady, Abdul Latif, Srinivas Kini, Laxmisha Tholpady, and Deviprasad were present on the occasion.
Sammelan chief convener K Somanath welcomed the gathering. Dr Amratha Shetty Athrady delivered the introductory address.
‘Jai Kannadamma’, a special issue of the city-based Kannada weekly ‘Suddi Bidugade’ was released on the same occasion. Sridar G Bhide, Sundar Salian, and Raghav H compered the programme.