Murthy to get honour after Guv volte-face

Mangalore Today News Network

Bangalore, Feb 7: Under fire from the Kannada literary community for not according approval to confer honorary doctorate on noted scholar M Chidananda Murthy, Governor H R Bhardwaj made a volte-face on Monday and gave his nod to Bangalore University (BU) to go ahead with its decision to honour the Kannada scholar.

According to a press communique from Raj Bhavan, the approval was given after taking into account the views of intelligentsia of the State and the clarification issued by Murthy that he had never justified attacks on churches in the State.

Earlier, the governor had invited ire of the Kannada literary community for rejecting the honour to Murthy saying he  was “communal” and had allegedly supported a probe panel’s report on church attacks.

Jnanpith award winner U R Ananthamurthy and president of the recently-held 77th All India Kannada Literary Conference, G Venkatasubbaiah had strongly criticised the governor for denying the honour to Murthy.

“Having regard to the clarificatory statement issued by Prof M Chidananda Murthy himself that he has not justified the attacks on churches, and he is against the attacks on any place of worship, the Governor has no hesitation in approving the name of Murthy and approval has been conveyed to the Bangalore University...The Governor has also taken into account the views expressed by learned Jnanapeetha award winner Prof U R Anantha Murthy and other scholars at recently held Kannada Sahithya Sammelana. The Governor holds the intelligentsia of the State in high esteem,” the communique stated.

Murthy, on Monday, welcomed the Governor’s decision. He also met Bhardwaj at Raj Bhavan in the evening. Raj Bhavan officials had made arrangement to send a car to Murthy’s residence. “The Governor told me that I should accept the doctorate. He said he initially did not have complete information about me,” Murthy said.

The 77th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, which concluded on Sunday, had passed a resolution condemning the Governor’s move to reject the honorary doctorate to Murthy. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat had warned of an agitation if the Governor refused to review his decision. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, on Monday morning had even demanded an apology from the Governor.

The Raj Bhavan communique also clarified that the governor had considered media reports on certain statements made by Murthy and that he wanted to verify before taking any decision on the BU’s proposal. “Due diligence is the rule to perform all functions. The Governor opines that there is no room for controversy on such issues,” it stated.