Cheques issued by the Department of Kannada and Culture to folk artists and writers who participated in Hampi Utsav, from January 27 to 29, 2023, have bounced.
Folk and other artists, and writers have alleged that cheques bounced in February and the bank statement showed insufficient funds as the reason. After getting no response from the department officials, one of the folk artists filed a cheque bounce case against the department in court.
The state government held the three-day Hampi Utsav at Hampi in January. The Kannada and Culture Department organised various cultural programmes, poets’ meet, and other events and issued remuneration cheques in February to artists, writers, and other participants in the event. But most of the cheques bounced.
Speaking to The Hindu, K.N. Nagesh, a folk artist said, “We are an eight-member team that performed on January 27. The department promised to pay ₹ 1.5 lakh as remuneration to our team for this programme. But, finally, they gave a ₹35,000 cheque on February 13, 2023. Then, I went to the bank and deposited the cheque, but due to shortage of funds, it bounced. After three attempts, I went to the department and contacted the officer concerned, but they ignored our request to resolve the problem. After no response from the officials, I filed a case in the Metropolitan Magistrate Court.”
Ranganatha Aranakatte, a writer from Koppal, said, “The Department of Kannada and Culture invited me to participate in the poets’ meet on January 28, presided by writer B.R. Lakshman Rao. I presented my own poetry “Avvanigondu Napkin Tarabekittalave?” The department issued the ₹3,000 cheque as remuneration on February 13, and after I deposited it to the bank, the cheque bounced. After many attempts, the cheque was not credited. Then, I contacted the department officials in Koppal and they expressed their helplessness. Now, I don’t know what to do.”
P.J. Govindaraju, Convener, Karnataka Folk Artists Union said, bouncing of cheques issued by a government department is a very serious issue. “According to the rules and regulations, the department of Kannada and Culture should pay the remuneration to any artists or writers through Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS). Paying the remuneration through the cheque is illegal and the officials made a big mistake. The department is exploiting and insulting the artists and writers, and we should not tolerate this hypocrisy. We will protest against the department,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Vishvenatha P. Hirematha, Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture, said, “The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Vijayanagara is the competent authority of the Hampi Utsava. We have released full of amount to the DC’s account. I don’t know how those cheques bounced. I have asked a report from the DC of Vijayanagara. After his report, if there are any violations, definitely we will take stern action against the guilty.”
