‘Govt should continue Telugu medium in municipal schools’

Ongole: Sahitya Academy Award winner and renowned Telugu poet K Siva Reddy demanded that the government continue Telugu medium in the municipal schools and prove its commitment towards Telugu language and culture.

He attended the ‘Ongole Sahitya Sangamam’, organised by Sahitya Prakasam, a body of all literary organisations, in the district and released a book of poetry ‘Okkadu Ontari Kadu’ by G Eleesha Yadav, on Saturday at Indian Medical Association Hall here on Saturday.

Speaking to The Hans India, Sivareddy shared his observations as a celebrated poet and the common man.

He quoted the poetry of noted poets Kamala Das from Kerala, Kedarnath Singh from Uttar Pradesh and Cheran Rudramoorthy from Sri Lanka and said, “We should observe the society, family and ourselves as a third person by keeping away from power and position we have.

Then only we could put our ego aside and observe the world as it is. Power over others is the reason for struggle between the both parties and once the power is made institutionalised, struggle with it continues to exist.

Democratic process should start with the individual, but not with the institution and nothing is permanent except change.”

Speaking about literature world today, he said, “We are in a kind of cultural crisis due to commercialisation, globalisation and career mindedness. Whatever is essential in the past should reflect in present.

There should be a natural continuity for which literature helps in the form of stories and poetry. Now, we had come to a junction where literature seems to be a career guide. There are many young people from across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana writing well and their works received well.”

He said that he has more confidence in present youth about literature. He said, “The youth today are not bothered about the traditions and culture and are delinking from past and present.

They understand that there is no slavery in today’s world and no one should discriminate others. They are enjoying individual freedom and giving no importance to money. They know that the marriages are institutionalised in the culture that’s why they are observing only the core of traditional values.

Though the present generation of information technology world is earning more, they are not happy and are in search of roots of culture. They are showing interest in literature, media and short films.

I’m hopeful of the IT generation that there seems to be a shift from career mindedness to blossoming of individual in near future.”

Speaking about the cultural relations between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he said, “It is proven that the people from advanced cultures try to dominate.

In order to make different cultures work together, we should answer the suspicions of the suppressed people. It is time that the literary circles from both the States should come forward and work together.”

Reacting to the decision of Andhra Pradesh government to scrap Telugu medium in municipal schools, he said, “There is no proper education policy by the government.

It is very unfortunate that the government took this decision when the people from neighbouring States like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka demanding their governments continue Telugu as medium of instruction.

When it should be made mandatory to teach in Telugu medium up to 10th Class, the government is trying to remove it forcefully. I demand the government to continue the Telugu medium irrespective of the strength of students, while introducing English medium in the same schools.”