Na. D’Souza, president of the 80th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, who is known for his literary works on the issue of submergence, on Wednesday urged the government to “think twice before submerging areas for development and displacing people.”
Participating in an interaction programme, he observed that displacement for development would result in submerging cultures and lifestyles of communities.
‘Respond positively’
To a question on a section of Maoists expressing the desire to join the mainstream and work as a mass organisation shedding the idea of armed struggle, Mr. D’Souza said, “It is necessary for the government to address issues that are contributing to the growth of Naxalism.” He then urged the government to respond positively to the desire of this section of Maoists.
On the growing strengths of private educational institutions, he said; “It is the responsibility of the government to run educational institutions and stop privatisation of the education sector. Replying to a query on the phenomenon of moral policing in the State, Mr. D’Souza said that it was one of the ills plaguing society and the government should act sternly against such forces.
On the reason for choosing literature as means of his creative expression, he said, “It is literature which converses with the life consistently; it suited me, as I am experimenting with the life.”
Expressing concern over growing intolerance in society, he said that communal harmony was the quintessential character of this country and vested interests were dividing society in the name of religion. “People should be careful about such anti-social elements and protect the secular fabric of the country,” he observed.
Underlining the need to protect native culture and wisdom, he said that following European culture was nothing but suicide.
Calling upon people to reject the “fast food culture”, Mr. D’Souza said that that (rejection of the foreign culture) was one of the ways to protect nativity.
