Will initiate contempt of court proceedings: Mahesh Joshi

President of Kannada Sahitya Parishad to take legal action against members for violating court order with baseless allegations.

President of Kannada Sahitya Parishad Mahesh Joshi said he will initiate contempt of court proceedings against members associated with Samana Manaskara Vedike for making baseless allegations against him, which violated injunction order issued by a Bengaluru civil court.

Talking to reporters in Mangaluru, Mr. Joshi said on June 9, 2023 he obtained temporary injunction order from 19th Additional City Civil and Session Judge, Bengaluru, restraining the Vedike, Kannada Janashakthi Kendra, Kannada Sangharsha Samiti and ten persons from airing, publishing or webcasting any information that damages his reputation and goodwill, and also of the Kannada Sahitya Parishad.

Despite order being in force, members of the vedike have continued to make statements harming his reputation and also of the Sahitya Parishad. “I will shortly initiate contempt proceedings against persons who have made statements against him,” Mr. Joshi said.

Mr. Joshi said a senior Kannada writer and other members of the vedike recently wrote a petition to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asking him to remove him (Mr. Joshi) and appoint an administrator for the parishad. He will meet Mr. Siddaramaiah and appraise him that it was during the time of that senior writer’s presidentship in 1986 that parishad was mired in corruption and maladministration charges. The government then appointed administrator and recommended criminal action against the writer, he said.

In his tenure since November 2021, Mr. Joshi said, two amendments to rules governing the parishad have been made. He was working towards bringing third amendment that will specify action to be taken in case elected president of Gadinadu Kannada Sahitya Parishad and of District Kannada Sahitya Parishad dies before completition of his term.