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Journalism of Courage
Nirmalananda Swamy of the Adichunchanagiri Mutt has written to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to take action against those who “disrespected” Kuvempu and his works on social media.
In a letter addressed to the Bommai, the seer said, “If someone is distorting the state anthem and disrespecting it, it is equal to disrespecting the national anthem itself and it is a clear violation of the law of the land. I hope the chief minister and the government will initiate action against such individuals under the cybercrime law. The government must send out a clear message that such insults and attacks will not be tolerated.”
“Jaya Bharatha Jananiya Thanujathe, written by Kuvempu, was declared the state anthem by the then state government and nobody demanded or opposed it. It was the decision of the state government and we celebrated and continue to celebrate it. But some have distorted it and have disrespected the anthem and it is a violation,” the letter said.
The letter comes against the backdrop of a few advocates filing a complaint against Rohith Chakratheertha, who heads the textbook committee formed by the education department, for allegedly distorting the lyrics of the state anthem.
A Facebook post that Chakratheertha had written sometime ago ridiculing the lyrics of the anthem went viral. He shared a spoof of the anthem, drawing criticism. However, the seer’s letter did not name any individual.
Kuvempu is the pen name of Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa, widely regarded as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century.
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