Mangalore, Jul 25: Claiming that he is still president of Beary Sahitya Academy, Rahim Uchil on Thursday said that Congress led state government has no right to terminate the presidents of academies, who have not yet completed their terms.
Addressing media persons at press conference, he said that academies the High Court has issued a stay order to government's decision to sack academy presidents appointed during BJP rule.
Abdicated presidents of four academies - Beary Academy's Rahim Uchil, Yakshayana Bayalata Academy's Prof M L Samaga, and Lalitha Kala Academy's Chi Su Krishna Shetty, and Kodava Sahithya Academy President Addanda C Kariyappa - had moved to the High Court stating that the present government has sacked them from the posts without any valid reason.
Terming the academies as 'autonomous bodies', Mr Uchil said that during his tenure, he was working as independent president, without interference of any political party.
“Since I am a BJP worker and Academy presidents were nominated during BJP tenure, new Congress government has asked us to resign from the posts. However, I am not resigning for my post. Since my designation has dignity I have to keep up it. I never worked as a BJP man in the Academy,” he said.
“According to law, Academy is an autonomous body and Academy heads are nominated for every three years. They cannot be terminated and forced to resign. However, present Karnataka government has done that,” he said.
If the government continues with same attitude then there will be damage of culture and literature as works and awards can be given on political influence.
Prof M L Samaga speaking on the occasion said that though they are not against the government, the latter's decision to force the academy presidents to resign provoked them to approach court. “We have not indulged in politics as far as the work of Academy is concerned,” he said.
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