Govt backtracks on Beary Academy appointments

Bangalore: Various academies without chairpersons or members now face another problem. If earlier, the government delayed appointments to the academies, now it's backtracking on one decision, that of Fakir Mohammad Katpadi as chairperson of the Beary Academy.
The government sent a circular to the Kannada and culture department to withhold his appointment as well as those of five members.The reason, according to sources, is that Katpadi has leftist leanings and right-wing litterateurs forced the chief minister to spike the decision.
Katpadi told TOI that his appointment has been withheld but he hasn't received any official intimation. ���I heard that BJP leaders, including MLAs and writers, put pressure on the government to cancel my appointment. I am basically a literary person. I oppose the fundamentalists who try to ruin peace in society. Academies are formed for development of literature and I condemn politicizing these academies. I never lobbied for the post. The government provided me an opportunity to serve and now it's going back on its decision,��� he said.
Manu Baligar, director of the department, said, ���The announcement of elections may be the reason for the decision.��� The appointment of Maksood Ahmed, B M Mumtaj Ali, Susheela Upadhyaya, Wahab Doddamane and B M Echalagowda was also cancelled.