Former Indian all rounder Roger Binny was a nominated MLA in the Karnataka Assembly under the Anglo Indian quota. He never opened his mouth during his five-year term. He attended sessions just three or four times during his entire tenure. His silence was a topic of debate in the media. Gentleman Binny chose not to react to any criticism.
I was among those who thought the one and the only Anglo Indian cricket sensation wasn't doing his job well. Now I think he was right. He would have been stopped by overenthusiastic guardians of Kannada.
The Derrick Fullinfaw incident proves it. The new Anglo Indian MLA is running for cover after he dared to speak in his mother tongue English in the Assembly.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) is busy ensuring that he will not open his mouth. These self-styled cultural custodians now tell Kannadigas what they should watch, listen, write, speak, support, and so on.
They wouldn't know who Anglo Indians are. The Constitution of India has made a provision for nominated Anglo Indian MLAs in some states and two MPs in the Lok Sabha. It guarantees this tiny community, whose total population in India is less than 2 lakh, the right to protect and promote its distinct identity.
Just as the Vedike has right to promote Kannada, Anglo Indians have the right to use their language English in all spheres of life. They are as much a part of Karnataka as anybody else. The Vedike must understand that it can't preserve and popularise Kannada by simply emulating the strong-arm tactics of the Dravida movement in Tamil Nadu and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
The role of the Kannada media is questionable. It is stoking the fire by encouraging the deep anxieties and insecurity of Kannadigas. Barring one or two newspapers, the rest are supporting the Vedike and its mindless acts.
As eminent filmmaker M S Sathyu once famously said, "No Vedike is needed to safeguard Kannada. First of all, why need protection for Kannada? The Vedike is just a sort of political outfit with no concern for the language... Are they aware of the latest novel of Dr U R Ananthamurthy or the stature of Dr Masti Venkatesh Iyengar? Do they know the achievements of Kuvempu and D R Bendre? With not an iota of knowledge on Kannada literature how they can protect the language?"
"They have constituted the forum to protect themselves, not the Kannada language. Devoid of them, Kannada can still survive and grow with full glory. For any language to survive and sustain the culture, poets and litterateurs are responsible. Their toil only can boost the language."
I am writing this at my own risk. I know I invite the ire of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) and its supporters by talking this way about the so-called sole custodians of my state. They will call me an insane journalist. Naive Kannada enthusiasts will say I am anti-Kannada... But I know that I am a better Kannadiga and I have a much greater knowledge of Kannada and Karnataka. Even I wouldn't support anyone who act superior and make a big virtue of a closed mind. While it may be legitimate or natural to expect long time Karnataka residents to open their minds and hearts to Kannada culture, it will be foolish at the same time to oppose English in this manner.
How can Rakshana Vedike be the sole custodians of a great 2000-year-old language and culture?
If the KRV could celebrate when Cherkalam Abdullah took oath in Kannada in the Kerala Assembly and the late P.M. Sayeed replied in Kannada in the Lok Sabha, is Derrick Fullinfaw beyond his rights to speak in his mother tongue?
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Hi sathish
This is the funniest article i have ever read. You said Mr Roger Binny didt speak in Karnataka Assembly in his 5-year term because he couldnât speak in Kannada. I didt understand why he never tried to learn Kannada for 5 years. It shows how badly he hates the Kannada language. Why do you think pople in karnataka always speak in outsiders language and they never give up their language even for as long as 5 years.you never talk abount that.
If we dont speak Kannada here, how people from outside know Kannada is the language of karnataka. KRV are the only people they talk something abount Kannada.
...Reply
â"-âI am writing this at my own risk. I know I invite the ireâ¦â
You invite nothing. Youâre no Lankesh. Dont delude yourself so. Your piece is as inane as only one from the Great Indian English media can get. And while it will surely elicit some sniggers, rest assured, thereâll be nobody taking you or your insipidity as seriously as youâd fantasize we would.
Having said that, it certainly is no easy task resisting the urge to dignify this pearl (which caught my eye for the second time in perhaps as many years) with a response.
â"-ââNo Vedike is needed to safeguard Kannada. First of all, why need protection for Kannada? The Vedike is just a sort of political outfit with no concern for the language⦠Are they aware of the latest novel of Dr U.R. Anantha Murthy or the stature of Dr Masti Venkatesh Iyengar? Do they know the achievements of Kuvempu and D.R. Bendre? With not an iota of knowledge on Kannada literature how they can protect the language?â
First of all, Sathyu who? And like Nationalist above, I too wonder (been wondering for many months now, actually), what precisely is the Aristotelean logic connecting URAâs latest novel (URA of âyaaRRee URA?â¦â fame?) and protecting Kannada, Kannadiga and Karnatakaâs interests? âaMD(u) mEle hODedare davaDe hallu udurtuâ antaralla.. aa tharana?
How devoid of imagination must a correspondent (one who fantasizes about being branded an insane âjournalistâ(!)) of a leading news agency be to make blather like this the âtiruLuâ of their thesis? No seriously!
If we need to read the âComplete Collected Short Stories of Mastiâ to save Kannada and Karnataka, what about illiterates then? Are they, in your book, worth nothing â" incapable of thinking rationally or fighting for just causes? Ironic then, isnât it, that it is precisely they who continue to speak, sing and foster Kannada in Karnataka? How come the only few samples of a gi-gi pada or a kamsale on youtube happen to be from proud Kannadigas not fortunate enough to have gone to a school, much less ones whoâd have savored a Kuvempu or a Bendre.
Kannada uLiyOdu beLeyOdu pustaka Odi alla. English beLdirOdu jana Sidney Sheldon OdOdrinda alla. Nim Rajdeepge medal koDo thara Kongarige nim Italiamma kOTi kOTi koDodu avaru tamil pustaka Odtare antalla.
KRV does not fight for Kannada. They fight for Karnataka. And all things Karnataka. Kannada happens to be part of it. Just as jobs for Kannadigas in Railways (and other Central Govt undertakings) or Kannadaâs legitimate place is or ought to be in the administration of the state is.
These are the issues youâre (âyouâ andre âyou the mediaâ ;) supposed to be raising and the govt., (of âGovt work is Godâs workâ fame) addressing. But in the perfect world we live in, riddled as it is by the apathy of the powers-that-be and the duplicity of the media, it just so happens that the KRV is forced to do both the âraisingâ and the âaddressingâ. Well, atleast a bit of both. More than their bit of both.
This they do, because unlike you, they have not lost sight of the fact that Kannada and the âaspirations of the Kannada peoplesâ was the very premise upon which the state was founded and Iâm sure none of our grandparents (yours included) would vouch that playing obsequious hosts to uncouth outsiders or bearing the brunt of a step-motherly Centre was one of their âaspirationsâ for a Kannada Nadu (of âudayavayitu namma cheluva Kannada naduâ fame)!
Forget Kannada and Karnataka⦠Only an pervert would rave against those who toil for the primacy of a native people and culture. Countless problems across the globe can be traced to an uncouth alien trying to take undue advantage of a naive native. Of course, the easy thing would be to paint the native as âparochialâ and it would be business as usual. Right? Right.
You can cry foul all you want, but regardless of how successful or unsuccessful KRV may turn out to be in years and decades from now, history will remember TANG as a visionary, achiever and a leader (âLeadâ of the âLead, follow or get out of the wayâ fame).
Your ilk will perhaps be remembered as the ones who sought to drum up some cheap publicity for yourselves by bashing him. I donât blame you. Thatâs the name of the game. Your boss earned himself a Padma bashing Modi. You should earn yourself atleast a Tamil Nadu Ratna or Bimaru Ratna or something. And along the way, with all your âmuch greater knowledgeâ of Karnataka and all, maybe you could bag some Bournvita quiz contests to shut us up (âusâ of the ânaive Kannada enthusiastsâ fame). Go for it!! ...Reply
so according to you, only people who know about jnanapeetha awardees are kannadigas. people who have been living in karnataka for many thousands of years are not .... right right ...Reply
It's very sad that you too have fallen for the news covered by english media about KRV. I do agree they take violent steps, but one cannot simply deny how much they have done for karnataka. If not for them, ther would have been thousands of Bihari's working in place of kannadigas in railways today.. KRV really does do so many social activities. I'm denying that they take money or not from politicians, but they really do stand for good of Karnataka. ...Reply
You true man. Who ever it is they should respect kannada ...Reply
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