Bhardwaj’s explanation has created an uproar in the literary and academic circles drawing strong protests.
Karnataka governor HR Bhardwaj on Sunday defended his decision to hold back the conferment of Bangalore University’s honourary doctorate to litterateur and scholar M Chidanandamurthy by stating that the latter had reportedly justified the church attacks.
Bhardwaj’s explanation has created an uproar in the literary and academic circles drawing strong protests.
“I got a report about this gentleman (Chidanandamurthy) justifying the church attacks. As a head of the state, when I confer a doctorate to someone, I must verify that the person is not involved in any controversy. I have high respect for senior thinkers of the state and my decision should not be taken as a disrespect to the literary veteran,” Bhardwaj said.
“He may be a good author, a good thinker, and I have respect for him. But at a time when the entire Christian community is upset that injustice has been done to them, I have to take care of their interests. I must verify and see that there are no controversies,” Bhardwaj said.
Referring to Jnanpeeth awardee Prof UR Ananthamurthy who had expressed his shock and displeasure at the governor’s decision to temporarily stall the doctorate for a senior literary figure like Chidanandamurthy, Bhardwaj said, “I have respect for Ananthamurthy, too. People like them keep coming to Raj Bhavan and they too speak of inter-faith harmony.”
Bhardwaj also said that Chidanandamurthy had defended justice BK Somasekhar commission report on church attacks.
The Christian community has rejected the report and is pleading for justice; under such circumstances conferring honourary doctorate to Chidanandamurthy would have led to a controversy, he added.
Unfortunate, says CM
Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday described the governor, HR Bhardwaj's decision to deny honourary doctorate to litterateur M Chidanandamurthy as unfortunate.
"Chidanandamurthy deserved an honourary doctorate degree by the government and I was hoping that he would get it this year during the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Bangalore. But this was not to be. I am disappointed," he said in Karkala, 50 km from Mangalore.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}