Minister of Law, Parliamentary Affairs, H.K. Patil, said, “The speeches and writings made by politicians in public functions, including in the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, should also be considered literature.”
He spoke at the ‘Politics in Literature, Literature in Politics’ session on Saturday, the second day of the 87th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana.
He accused the literary community of “treating politicians like untouchables”.
Inextricably linked
“Literature and politics are inextricably linked. Many of the issues and speeches advocated by politicians in Legislative Assemblies have all the characteristics of great literature. Many of the rulings made in Legislative Assemblies greatly impact society. Many public speeches made by politicians have paved the way for the development of people’s knowledge. Therefore, it is an insult to treat politicians like untouchables,” he said.
Further, he explained that during the freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi’s public speeches were a new compass for the country. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s speeches instilled patriotism in the people.
“When politics and politicians go astray, writers should warn them through their literature and bring them back on the right path. Writer P. Lankesh has achieved this task. However, writers after him have lagged in this process. Therefore, writers and journalists should function like the watchdog of democracy,” the Minister appealed.
Former MLA K. Annadani, speaking on the issue of ‘Literary Consciousness of Politicians’, said literature and politics were inseparable. “Since the time of Pampa in the 10th century, Kannada literature has developed with the encouragement of the royal patronage. Basavanna was the Prime Minister in the court of Bijjala in the 12th century,” he said.
Writer-leaders
Speaking on the occasion, veteran politician B.L. Shankar said that in the 20th century, the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar’s vision and ideas had a great impact on the political system of the country.
“From socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to current politicians like Veerappa Moily and Shashi Tharoor, many have written great literary works,” he said.
Published – December 21, 2024 06:41 pm IST