• Speakers at interaction programme support Rangayana Director
• ‘Conspiracy against Cariappa who is cleansing theatre repertory’

Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysuru Rakshana Vedike has come in support of Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa who is in the thick of a controversy over inviting guests for this year’s Bahuroopi Theatre Festival. The vedike has stated that the Director has committed no wrong and his move has been opposed by left-wing and self-centred activists who had till now strangulated the art and theatre environment at Rangayana.

At an interaction organised at Jaladarshini Guest House over the topic ‘Is Rangayana limited to Leftist thoughts?’ yesterday, speakers said that because of the hard stance and theatre-disruptive activities by a section of former artistes who profess loyalties to the Left ideologies, Rangayana issue has reached the Police Station.

Speakers said that a probe has to be constituted on how Government funds were spent by all the previous Rangayana Directors to further the interests of banned outfits. They alleged that people who harbour hatred against India and nationalism have so far thrived at Rangayana and Cariappa had applied brakes on all their activities.

Former Corporator M.G. Mahesh said that the Left ideologies were actively supported by former Prime Ministers including Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi and continued by others who were at the helm. This is the reason why the Left dominated the education and cultural scene of India. They were rattled when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister and now are painting a different picture.

Colonial mentality

“Sadly, the destructive philosophy was supported by many newspapers who indulged in propaganda where people lost Indian-ness and were slaves to colonial mentality,” he said.

Socially concerned speakers and artistes Ajit and M.A. Mohan said that Rangayana was at the centre of naxalite activities and meetings have taken place in the past at Rangayana to propagate naxal philosophy.

Jayasimha alleged that these Leftist activists did not allow B. Jayashree to function as Rangayana Director in the past and were doing the same to Addanda Cariappa. “They are not open to any other ideology and want Rangayana to be a breeding centre for Left ideology. We will not allow this,” he said.

Training guns on former Rangayana Director H. Janardhan, who is at the forefront of the present protests, Vedike members alleged that Janardhan (Janni) had violated norms in sanctioning Rangayana payment to his wife and relatives. He had also converted the theatre repertory into a place to consume alcohol, they alleged.

Opposed to Mysuru’s culture

Mysuru Rakshana Vedike President M.K. Premkumar has said that these days it has become a fashion to oppose certain deep-rooted cultural and religious activities in Mysuru.

“All these people want to make money through nefarious means by opposing Mysuru’s cultural ethos. Opposing Dasara, these people have ridiculously floated ‘Mahisha Dasara’ that is against our culture and they opposed the construction of Viveka Memorial to mark the visit of Swami Vivekananda to Mysuru. It is the same set of people who opposed the installation of Sir M. Visvesvaraya’s statue at KRS Dam, forgetting the fact that Visvesvaraya had designed the structure. These people do not have ethics and morality and have opposed Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,” he said.

“Earlier, stooges of particular politicians and their followers would be appointed as Rangayana directors. Addanda Cariappa has an illustrious theatre background and he has done eminent work in the field of theatre. At present he is cleansing Rangayana. He is honest and is doing good work there and this is the reason why he is being opposed,” Premkumar said.