Representatives of progressive organisations took out a protest march in Hassan on Monday urging the State Government to cancel the textbooks review committee headed by Rohith Chakratirtha and continue with the books finalised by the previous committee.
The protesters took out a march from the office of Kannada Sahitya Parishat building on Salagame Road to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where they submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai.
The protesters said the revision of textbooks should be stopped immediately. The committee headed by Mr. Rohit Chakratirtha should be dissolved. The government should continue the textbooks finalised by the committee headed by Baragur Ramachandrappa.
Further, they demanded that the government should take legal action against Mr. Chakratirtha for his derogatory remarks on Kuvempu and he should be arrested. Besides that, the government should take action against BJP leaders and people associated with the Sangh Parivar for their comments on Devanur Mahadeva, Mr. Baragur Ramachandrappa and other Kannada writers.
The protesters also demanded the resignation of Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C.Nagesh for his failure to handle the situation.
Among those who led the protest included former Rajya Sabha member H.K. Javare Gowda, writer Hampanahalli Thimmegowda, artist K.T.Shivaprasad, CPI(M) leader Dharmesh, and DSS leader H.K.Sandesh.