Mysore/Mysuru: The ideological differences between the Left and the Right over the conduct of this year’s Bahuroopi Theatre Festival at Rangayana has now reached the doors of the Police Department with Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa lodging a Police complaint seeking security to artistes and also save Rangayana from the vested interests.

The complaints were lodged on Dec. 12 and 14 at Jayalakshmipuram Police Station against senior artistes and progressive activists. Cariappa has stated that some elements have threatened to disturb theatre and Bahuroopi activities at Rangayana over the issue of Chakravarthi Soolibele and Malavika Avinash being invited as guests to the Bahuroopi Theatre Festival.

Senior artistes and social activists like P. Mallesh, H. Janardhan (Janni), Zakir Hussain, Kaleem, Mime Ramesh, Gopalakrishna, N. Diwakar and all their names and others have been mentioned in the complaint where the Rangayana Director has alleged that they are fomenting trouble.

Confirming this to Star of Mysore, Cariappa said that Rangayana is not owned by a particular section of people who have different ideologies and it is a reputed art and theatre repertory. “As the Director, it is my foremost duty to protect Rangayana and its artistes and this is the reason why I have lodged a Police complaint,” he said.

Misuse of Rangayana logo

Cariappa has also alleged that certain vested interests were misusing the logo of Rangayana to further their mischief against genuine art fraternity. “Many pamphlets have been printed with the Rangayana logo and permission has not been sought to use the logo. This is nothing but misuse of the logo,” he charged.

“These pamphlets have been printed by the so-called ‘Rangayana Ulisi Horata Samithi’ and they are tarnishing the image of Rangayana by giving bad press. It is not right for them to use the Rangayana logo in their propaganda. Rangayana has got national and international fame and now an attempt is being made to defame Rangayana,” he added.