GANGAVATHI: Saraswati Samman awardee and novelist S L Bhyrappa said MNCs have colonised rural India with their glamorous products. Speaking at the 78th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelan on Sunday, Bhyrappa narrated an event from his childhood to drive his point home.“In the 1950s, farmers carried cow dung and silt from dried up tanks to use them as manure. However, chemical fertiliser companies started an advertising campaign which depicted carrying cow dung on one’s head was a disgrace.Then began our farmer’s dependency on ‘foreign’ fertilisers,” he said and added: “Today, a similar chain of events is happening in the education sector.” Bhyrappa said there was a racket behind the brisk business of English medium schools.“There are two steps to close down this business. We should convince them by explaining the harm they are causing to our society. If they do not budge, then we should start a hunger strike,” he said.“Chemical manure can bring instant profit, however in the long run, diminishing returns will soon follow,” he added.The novelist acknowledged the importance of English language but stressed that it should not be used as the medium of instruction.“Our children should study in Kannada up to SSLC, and after that we can let them choose the language they like,” he added.‘Don't Blame, Act’Prominent critic of Kannada literature, Giraddi Govindaraju pointed out in his speech that merely blaming the government for closing down the schools was not a solution to the problem. “First, send your children to school, then you will know the truth about their situation,” he said.Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji of Sanehalli Mutt welcomed the decision of the state government to sanction `3 crore to provide scholarship for Kannada school students.He also stressed the importance of educating people on superstitious practices like ‘Made Made Snana'.
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