The Kittur Utsav Committee, headed by Deputy Commissioner N. Jayaram, has included several cultural teams and artistes from outside the State at this year’s event.
Of the 44 cultural programmes to be held, 13 are by out-of-State talent, including those from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, which has raised many eyebrows. The events include group songs, dance and drama, classical dance and music, and laughter shows.
The Belagavi District Kannada Organisations Action Committee president, Ashok Chandargi, took strong exception to the move and questioned the wisdom of the organising committee in bringing cultural teams from other States when Karnataka’s cultural cradle is full artistes of national and international repute. One of the objectives behind organising such State-level festivals is to promote native art and culture, he said.
He demanded that the Kannada and Culture Department explain if the State chosen have involved artistes and cultural teams from Karnataka in their State-level festivals.
