AKKA CULTURAL FESTIVAL
VMK vs YKM

Report by - CNB        Photos - K.M. VEERESH               Date - 19th  July 2002

The highly respected personality a bureaucrat cum singer with wonderful service to Kannada and Culture has decided to not to make a trip to the ensuing cultural festival in August last week in United States of America conducted by America Kannada Koota Association (AKKA). This year’s event is getting into unnecessary troubles. This is a usual fare of pride and held in pomp and gaiety. The leakage of internal matters is leading to controversies and disrespect to Mr Y.K.Muddukrishna. AKKA office bearers – what happened to your discipline?

We in Karnataka and elsewhere are proud of this event. The planning of AKKA is also quite good all these years. But why this time the name of bureaucrat Y.K.Muddukrishna is indulging in controversy while he has done wonderful service for the improvement of Kannada and Culture. The fact those who are shouting at the top of their voice against Mr Y.K.Muddukrishna must understand one point. MR MUDDUKRISHNA OR ANYONE CAN COME ON THEIR OWN. Disrespecting a person of Muddurkrishna stature should not be discussed at all. The reputed bureaucrat has decided not to make a trip this time as most of them members AKKA are holding a sword against him. 

We have ascertained from Bangalore that Mr Y.K.Muddukrishna never dreamt that his visit would irk some of the good friends in America. `I am really pained and did not expect it. Some of them tried to malign my name and brought down my prestige and reputation built in decades. The attitude shown to me is highly deplorable. Stooping to such level and making personal attack is highly indecent. The damage caused to me is irreparable' says Muddukrishna in choked voice.

Is this humiliation is our culture asks YKM. I need not have to play any politics. So far I have not committed any mistake and if anyone prove it I am prepared to tender apology.
 

The Joint_secretary of AKKA Mr. V.M. Kumaraswamy writes to Mr Y.K.Muddukrishna on the whole controversy. 

I am really surprised by your Email to all these people you have listed in your Email. 

First of all you could have written an Email or called the person who invited you from AKKA (YOU ARE SAYING THAT IN YOUR EMAIL WE DO NOT KNOW) and clarified yourself with that person on why things are happening like this.  Who ever it is, he or she would have answered for that properly. Instead of doing these kind of things, you have resorted to do this. You need to tackle with the person who invited you. 

I just want to let you know that AKKA Cultural committee and AKKA Director has informed you that there was no AKKA Board approval to invite you or any other Karnataka artists in your group. I hope you remember this. She has told you this recently (JULY 2002) in Bangalore. 

Let me tell you one thing clear to you that in AKKA Board of Directors meeting or AKKA Executives meeting there was no discussion of Karnataka artists that too your name and others. Nothing has been approved. If you have got a letter of invitation from AKKA on AKKA's Letter head, please fax a copy to me at 714-542-9597. 

AKKA Directors, AKKA Trustees and Charter Member Kannada Koota Presidents are entitled for their opinion on issues in AKKA. Some of this might become public if proper action not taken by AKKA Executives in AKKA organization. No one can be blamed for the INACTION of AKKA Executives in AKKA. 

You came to USA two times in 1984 and 1998. 

In 1984, you came under the group name YUVARANGA. You and your group were supported only due to request from ADICHUNCHANGIRI SWAMIJI. Otherwise no one would have entertained the group. Still your group had a good tour. You stayed in our house with some members of your group. I did not know you at all. You came with my friend Late Gnanedra and family who also stayed in my house. 

In 1998, you came as Director of Kannada and Culture to attend the Kannada Sammelana in Phoenix, Arizona along with other artists from Karnataka. That is how you were recognized by Kanandigas here and also by the artists who came with you. They only respected you because of your position. The tour in 1998 went well with hitches in some locations. You, Shimoga Subbanna and Appgere Thimmaraju stayed in our house and other artists stayed in Mr. M. Krishnamurthy's house. 

I hope you will remember now, that after the tour in 1998, you went back to Bangalore and you wrote a nasty Letter to one of the Kannada Kootas.  I can write stories like this on what happened in 1998. So I do not want to elaborate on this. People will write to this effect. I have some more with me. 

I want to tell you now that AKKA was not started by you. You were here as a Director of Kannada and Culture along with Karnataka artists. AKKA formation was announced at Kannada Sammelana 1998 not by you. Nine Members of AKKA Founding Steering Committee was announced at that time not by you. 

PLEASE DO NOT KEEP ON TELLING THAT YOU STARTED AKKA in Bangalore and Karnataka.

You should remember what happened in 2000, when you were still the Director of Kannada and Culture, when you had faxed the list of Karnataka artists directly to WMKC 2000 in Houston without the Govt. of Karnataka approval. At that time you were not working with AKKA. You were working directly with WMKC 2000 people giving room for misunderstandings between AKKA and WMKC 2000. This difference continued even after the WMKC 2000 Kannada Sammelana between AKKA and WMKC 2000. 

HOW CAN YOU SAY now that YOU LIKE AKKA???? 

One more thing happened at that time in 2000 before the Kannada Conference because of these things, there was change in Director of Kannada and Culture. A new list of Karnataka Artists was selected discarding what you had done before. New Director of Kannada and Culture was kind enough to recognize AKKA's work and he was dealing with both AKKA and WMKC 2000. I hope you remember all these things. 

How can you say and write all the things that you have written in your Email.  I want to tell all Kannadigas who are receiving this Email the facts what has happened in AKKA and how things have come to this stage now. Since I am one of Nine AKKA Founding Steering Committee Members, I can state some facts for the benefit of others who do not know these things. 

You are also threatening to go to press in Bangalore. You should know what happened to Sri. C. Aswath when he did the same in Bangalore after the WMKC 2000. Do you think your press conference will affect AKKA ?? Think it over. Whoever goes against AKKA will have to think twice. AKKA is continuing to do it's business even more briskly and thoroughly even after Sri. C. Aswath news conference. 

All of us want to listen to new talents every two years in AKKA Kannada Conferences. There should be room for new artists to come up in Karnataka. There are lots young and talented artists in Karnatak State (in both Northern and Southern parts). They have made name for themselves and to Karnataka State. They should be given a chance at AKKA Kannada Conferences every two years. 

That is the reason why AKKA Directors, AKKA Trustees and Charter Member Kannada Koota Presidents are expressing their opinion through the Email to all AKKA Executives. It is a form of communication between all of us. If AKKA Executives does not take action on these communications things go out of hand and some of it will become public. AKKA or anyone in AKKA who is doing this can't be blamed for the consequences. Executives in AKKA need to handle these things properly and solve the problems before it reaches out of hand. 

I hope I have made my points on behalf my self and AKKA to you and to all Kannadigas in USA and CANADA. 

If you still have questions on any of these, I will be able to answer them to you and to anyone in this Email list. 

My request to all Kannadigas in this list is to treat this as a NEWS LETTER from AKKA. This is a form of communication to all of you. Please do not get discouraged by the Emails. 

2nd AKKA World Kannada Conference 2002 activities are going on well. All in AKKA working with the Steering Committee to raise funds, registrations, getting Ads and help in whatever the way they can. 

I hope AKKA Executives call for an AKKA Executives meeting immediately to discuss these issues and then call for AKKA Board of Directors meeting along with new Charter Member Kannada Koota representatives and Presidents of Kannada Kootas.