The outrage of Kannada organisations at a poem written by a Canadian employee of the IT company Sasken that reportedly abuses and makes fun of Kannadigas, has taken a familiar route: the company’s premises have been ransacked, about 50 computers have been destroyed, there have been calls for the employee’s arrest and—wait for it—deportation from the country, besides the usual breastbeating about how IT companies are harming local culture.
On TV9, a viewer, watching the breathless coverage of the poem and after, expressed his reservations on the destruction of public and private property that has become the calling card of protestors.
Chandrashekhar Patil aka Champa, the president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, who has already articulated his desire that Kannadigas should emulate Raj Thackeray and follow the Shiv Sena model to protect Kannada, delivered this stunning justification, as anchor Ranganath Bharadwaj looked on, scarcely believing his ears:
“There is no need to make too much of vandalism when such incidents take place. So what? No one has died. They could have set the building on fire [if that was their intention].
“When a father gets angry with a son, he slaps him and sometimes teeth fall out. But because of the danger of teeth falling out, can a father stop himself from disciplining his son if he is going astray? This is like that.
“Repairee maad beku.
“We should deal with those who show disrespect to Kannada and Karnataka like central reserve police. There should be no evidence, no scars on the outside. But inside, the bones must be powdered.”
Full text of poem: That’s Kannada
Also read: Thodo, phodo, hum sab tumhare saath hain
RAJ THACKERAY: ‘Do political movements need to obey the law?’
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churumuri 
I think you are trying to twist what champa said.
Ok, according to you what should we be doing? congratulate Mr Lee for writing such a filthy poem? Or should we file a PIL and wait what the judge thinks of the skills of Mr. Lee.
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I always believed that one should speak (atleast show no disrespect to) the language of the land. While I condemn the loss of property, its not fair to blame the perpetrators of this violent act because they were provoked into doing this, as Oliver Wendell Holmes said, Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow.
Well I am a software engineer working in a reputed multinational company, I have encountered non-kannadigas making fun of kannada … infact when there was a discussion on internal newsgroup about speaking/promoting kannada … the reaction from outsiders was like … “I dont want to learn/speak kannada, Its India ( I can speak whatever language I like)”. I remember one guy really worked up, when I had sent a flash software to the newsgroup which helps learn a few basic kannada phrases … he was miffed at my kannada promotion.
Ironically Immigration to a so called free, democratic country like britain requires tests on britains heritage/culture, english skills, etc. God save our culture/languages from pseudo-nationalists.
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There are couple points,
1. Bet on it, none of these protestors read the full text of the poem.
2. Bet again on it, none of these protestors can find the word caused this mess.
3. Stupidity still have a limits, there is no point in destroying a server room, which may be nearly impossible to restore to 100% back.
4. Police stood watching like TV program on the spot.
5. These guys never understood the spirit of the poem.
6. Shame on TV9, for looping scrap news to flash it to make young blood boil.
7. Who ever did so, should be held accountable, and with out mercy.
8. Surely K.R.V is not protecting Kannada, but securing an Assembly Seat and security from police with that.
Forgiveness is not the weakness, instead a strength.
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I completely agree with Champa and KRV. Some Canadian employee thought the issue was funny (I suspect he could be Canadian Chinese with his frequent reference to cold noodles and shit!). Yes, that’s OK but ‘we’ thought it was unfunny. That’s all. Next you would have some Konga writing another poem and so on. I am glad Sasken had to learn the hard way. All MNCs have been put on notice: Disrespect local language at your own peril. Thank you.
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I read the poem. I did not/could not understand what was offensive in it. Can Churumuri/Champa decode the meaning and tell us the meaning?
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Dear All,
BTW most MNCs (the good ones) are always monitoring employee emails to ensure that they don’t swap jokes and shit! Prevention is better than cure you know.
Naughty Boy!,
Don’t give up. Keep at it and try and win the ‘crypto’ Kannadigas first. As always the enemy is within.
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Thooooo kavithena adhu? Angla bhashege dhikhaara.
Learn to laugh oh Champa, KRV, Muthappa Rai and others.
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DB,
I believe we should say some outside employees of MNCs and IT companies as opposed to MNC itself.
I have seen firsthand the attitude of some non-Karnataka IT sector employees towards the people of Karnataka and our culture. Especially when they collect in groups and start talking about the ‘attitude’ of localites. And within the confines of a company, what can you do? No one wants to educate people with such mocking attitude. They have migrated from their native places and have found a good life in Bangalore and yet what do they do? Try to make out that the locals are inferior to them and mock them? What do you expect in return?
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As per this report it is five North Indian employees who ‘sang’ the poem out aloud:
http://www.ciol.com/News/News-Reports/Sasken-office-in-Bangalore-attacked/3308104146/0/
“Five North Indian employees wrote a derogatory poem on Kannada and were seen singing in the office corridor. An employee recorded the entire scene on his mobile phone and sent it to the KRV, after which Vedike activists attacked office and ravaged the computers in the office,” said a Sasken employee.
Trouble started when a few KRV activists vandalized the front office of the Sasken office in Electronic City this afternoon. ”
If this is true – why did the employees do this? If this is the behaviour when such people are in small numbers, what do you think they will do in larger numbers?
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First thing
That Canadian should be arrested..
Second – those krv guys should be arrested..
for taking law into their own hands..
third -TV9 should be banned.. how is it Sasken’s fault??
if a kannadiga raped a british citizen should karnataka be burnt???
tell me something?
How many of you know Hindi??
When most of you don’t .. why do you force people to learn Kannada.
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‘X’ Guy,
I completely agree but don’t forget MNCs are ‘driven’ by these morons. Most of these would have come from backwater places like Bhagalpur, Katpadi, and other vague places. Like you correctly noted they start getting uppity after a few months stay being given enormous salaries totally disproportionate to the quality of work they be doing. Now we must thank that nice gentleman who had the presence of mind to forward the clip to KRV. All along these morons thought they were safe in their a/c cubes while mocking the locals. I must eat some nice sajjige today:)
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abhi, even i was wondering what was offensive in the poem. I read it 3-4 times and reading it again. Sorry i’m bad at understanding english poems!
I guess I”ll always be
A soldier of Karnataka
Yes, I can hear the sound
Of a loudmouth Karnatakan
I guess I”ll always be
A soldier of Karnataka
Anyone please help me understand the meaning of the poem.
Apart from this incident, every day, a worker at MNC’s surely comes across the bad comments about kannada, karnataka, and local people for sure.
today, most of the computers in internet centres are not enabled with kannada unicode and there are no kannada software installed. We have to better try to take up protests to pressurize them to implement kannada in internet centres and sify i ways.
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Abhi,
2 lines from the poem:
Come stay with me in K…k…k… arnataka
Yes, I can hear the sound Of a loudmouth Karnatakan
If you want to equate Karnataka with KKK – please leave.
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>>How many of you know Hindi??
When most of you don’t .. why do you force people to learn Kannada.
>>
How is it relevant in Karnataka to learn Hindi and speak it? Yes if I live in North India, I would definitely learn Hindi to converse with the locals…so dont you think it is right on your part to learn kannada and converse with localites in their own langauge when you are living in Karnataka
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@so are we happy now,
All of us know hindi. We can understand it, and many of us can even read and write it. Some of us would speak it if hindi-speakers didnt make fun of our accents. And note we learnt it though while living in Karnataka.
We arent even asking you to learn kannada. At least dont mock it everday and act as though you are superior to your hosts in Karnataka. And especially dont show that attitude overtly at work, when you get excited to meet others from your homeplaces who share the same negative attitudes towards local people of Karnataka. Keep it to yourselves at your homes.
And respect the culture of Karnataka. Understand your civic duties. you arent here just to enjoy the jobs and life you have in Bangalore, you have to contribute towards the furtherment of the local culture.
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The language Kannada is a gem but most of the Kannadigas seen on television beating people ransacking offices making offensive and threatening statements are fit to be sent to the Hospital on Hosur road.They need CELL PHONES , Television Coverage ,Currency etc., all of which are not invented by A KANNADIGA.Now a Gowda has destroyed the State and Country by looting the PUBLIC treasury by thousands of Crores of Rupees, His SON continued with the same.So do people now Say that all Kannadigas are corrupt ?? First and foremost all these guys seen on TV breeaking the Company property should be booked and sent to JAIL along with all the Police officials who have till date not taken any action against any of these ROWDIES.Delaying the inevitable would lead to consequences which cant be even imagined.
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I agree with Name is Useless. The police did not do their job to prevent loss of property. The damage was mostly done in a lab with valuable equipment and servers, the amount may run easily into tens of lakhs, not to say the loss of carefully derived useful data and work towards whatever services (mostly worth a lot of money) were being provided to the client. There is no justification to take law into your own hands. An attack on private property is a crime, even if it is in response to an inflammatory and absolutely unnecessary and shameful act (although I agree, I do not really get the meaning of the poem clearly, and I doubt if this has been properly understood by all – the point seems to be the way in which it was read and made fun of), which incidentally also does’nt have to do with Sasken although it was committed in the premises of the company. If I perform a crime inside an organization, is the organization responsible?? The KRV people, though maybe justified in their anger, cannot take law in theor own hands.
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If what churumuri is reporting is even half-way accurate, Chandrashekar Patil has disgraced the high office he holds. If this is all the sensibility that he can bring to the high table of language as a poet, nothing more needs to be said of the state of Kannada in its home-state.
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Govinda,
Meaning of Poodle means dog, but poet might not really used in that meaning but as rhyme with noodle.
If someone read the press statement of the K.R.V chap, he said lot of things about women, karnataka, etc .. which are not in the poem. The TV9 display does capture singers but hides what they sing.
In the name of Kannada, these people missuse sentiments of common people.
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Things that went wrong from Sasken:
a. Such an incident happened & Mr. Hari Iyyer *investigated* & closed the issue; but never came into public saying such a thing has happened. It was even hidden from the employees — Protecting the culture I guess
b. When KRV people attacked initially no responsible person came into picture to clarify things in-front of media upfront, but a bunch of “hardcore kannada” guys are sent to calm the enraged KRV. It is later that Mr. Shankar & Mr. Swamy show-up. To make the things look more foolish, a white-board with some Kannada slogan is brought-up — A dumb response(literally)
c. At 7 pm in TV9 studio: A blabbering CIO Shankar rao is sent(scape-goated), who is not even sure whether the guy on question is sacked or not(He requests some time to get-back). Later another Intel guy joins & tries to smothen Champa’s stance — Is there no proper Kannadiga in Sasken who can face media?
d. Shankar rao later tells media that the 4 guys(2 of them kannadigas) have been dismissed with this bad remark being marked in their HR record — Shankar sir, are you *really* sure this is done?
Finally the icing on the cake is that neither Mr Mody(who has been living in B’lore since 90s & ofcourse doesnot know any kannada yet) nor Mr Hari(Culture officer & supposedly very well conversant in Kannada) show-up & justify/apologize — They are big people busy in sorting things in the background(bribing somebody, I don’t know)
It all boils down to this: A mistake has happened & atleast now responsible ppl have been punished(I hope), but the biggies in the company are behaving irresponsibly & hence deserve whatever has happened,
May god bless Sasken…
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What in the so-called poem is offensive? “Loudmouthed?” References to noodles, but not akki rotti and masale dose?
Shri Patil has benefited a great deal at the helm of the Kannada Pradhikara and Parishad. Now that he intends to pursue a political career, it makes sense for him to speak the language of violence and not of reason. Please, no more talk about shanthi priya, sadabhimaani, dharaali kannadigaru. Please no more gratulatory talk about the KRV destroying property, public or private.
A leader’s main qualification is that he has vision and can enlist others to help make that vision a reality. What has Patil done for Kannada and Karnataka as a leader in general? No, I definitely don’t want to be reminded of his one signal accomplishment, providing support for Dalit sahithya.
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That @rsewipe Champa should be locked up in a zoo for daring to suggest that it is ok to use physical punishment on children. May he rot in the depths of naraka eating the flesh of maggots!
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Adi kavi pampa, anthya kavi Champa…
Champa should chill out. Maybe get a beer. And stop being a bully.
As far as the poem is concerned, it is the employee’s right to write (and sing) whatever they want. No one can take an issue with that.
So what can self-respecting Kannadigas like me/us do? Simple. Lets write a really nasty and stinging counter poem making fun of Lee (without being indecent). And believe me, we can definitely do a better job than Lee.
Mr. Champa, thanks for being a self-appointed guardian of Kannada. We are fed up of you and KRV’s violent tactics. Please retire and we will take it on from here.
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What is wrong with writing a poem?? I did not find anything wrong with the poem. Why have people lost their sense of humor?? People have to become more broadminded.
But if people did feel hurt by the poem, aren’t there any means other than acts of vandalism to address this issue? Condoning acts of vandalism and violence will put us on a slippery slope: tt will start with vandalizing computers and then hurting people and it will not stop there. Statements like those by Mr. Patil quoted in this blog already point to intolerance and violent mindset and must be condemned outright.
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I do not see anything offensive in Lee’s poem. There seems to be some confusion here.
Refer http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=8&subLeft=2&chklogin=N&autono=315663&tab=r
It is mentioned there that there was a simmering discontent because a certain kannadiga female employee was subjected to humiliation for two months by another outsider employee at Sasken.
The outsiders, it is reported that made a practice of stopping the female employee in the corridor and sang derogatory songs. One of the sasken employees recorded the song on his / her cell phone and that clip is the one against which KRV seems to be protesting and not Lee’s prose!!
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That poem (sic) is a terrible re-hash of rock band Deep Purple’s “Soldier of Fortune” Lee is successful in achieving his 15 minutes of fame, well at a little cost to Sasken. It proves that software company employees have too much of free time. We are all to familiar with ” An idle man’s brain is a devils workshop” some thought it funny others not so and the message has been sent across.
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>>”What has Patil done for Kannada and Karnataka as a leader in general?”
Whatever his drawbacks may be, he was among the first to realize the dire need for a dyed in the wool Kannada regional party. He even tried to talk Dr Raj into it.. but for various reasons, his efforts failed. And to this day, even though he acknowledges the quixoticism of such an endeavour, he atleast has the good sense and wisdom to dream and wish for it to come true. And in KRV, he perhaps sees the closest thing to his dream coming true. saavira suL heLadru oMdu maduve maaDbekante… laksha suLL heLi aadaru kannadigarige oMdu regional party kaTbekante. not insinuating that champa is lying though. not in the least. he atleast has the moral courage to put his reputation on the line and jump in to support/defend KRV.
even if for a moment we assume that the poem isnt offensive, even if for a moment we assume that KRV was wrong this time, the ideals KRV stands for and the message every parasitic konga and northie in blore takes home from this incident will stand us in good stead.
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>>”What in the so-called poem is offensive?”
I dont know… i wouldnt know – given the fact that my english skills dont seem to measure up to the Canadian-Chinki grade on display. But if Sasken has indeed fired people for it and if they’ve apologised(?), there obviously must be something offensive about it… maybe we arent seeing the poem in its entirety and/or maybe there’s more to the incident than just the lousy poem.
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“Soldier of Fortune” a classic song by the English Heavy Metal Rock band Deep Purple has never been sung even once in Karnataka. The legends, Deep Purple, themselves were here twice after all.
May be, one of the most romantic songs in the band’s history, needed this furore. But not purely out of its original lyrics, but the one rejiggered by an employee at Sasken Communications headquartered in Bengalooru.
Without nailing this “doctored song” on the cross of crime, let me explain what was this song all about when the band composed. It was simply about a soldier falling in love with a pretty dame, whom he had approached for a marriage. But she seemed to have turned it down hurt, solely because his profession meant he had to go where he was posted. And he like a true soldier had chosen profession over her. Over the years, however, he still sulked in her memories and finally sung this song partly regretting his move then and mostly missing her until this day. “Soldier of Fortune” is a personified figure of speech to say “I’ve become a sentry (watch guard) of my fate whether I like it or not”.
This above “customized/doctored” song is composition in bereavement, it seems. Composed by a man who fell in love with a girl, who was particular of him moving (for good) to Karnataka if they had to stay together. He however went back trying to forget her. Today reminiscing all those good times he spent with her, he retreads a relic-like song. While he was in Karnataka (or when the girl was with him) he seems to have told her everything about his nomadic (Immigrant) life and his love towards guitaring (NOODLES) and singing. And he says everything in his life is now echoing: from the songs sung by him while playing his guitar to her to the patriotic voice of his girl friend that had asked him to “come stay with me in Karnataka”.
In the third stanza, which confirms his return to his place, the poet (culprit to most of us) explains how he had traveled to different places and spoken about his guitar (Noodle) lying idle and cold back home. But now when he has returned back home, and his guitar is around, he sulks again without his lover being close to him. And he calls his homeland to be the “Land of Guitar” and “Little White Decked Up & Crossbred Dogs (POODLES)”. He brings in Poodles, may be, only to show his incapability to rhyme as much as to write a song—flicking it from Deep Purple.
To give due credit to his creativity, he might have associated the crossbred poodle to his countrymen who often fall in love rarely concerned about linguistic or religious backgrounds. And in wrath against India and its states (in this case Karnataka)’s linguistic interests he scribbles the last stanza. May be all driven by plain experiences of KRV activists’ acrobats over the recent few months of his sojourn in Karnataka. Calling one of the activists as “A” Loudmouth. And in a romantically satirical comparison of his lover’s voice of “come stay with me in Karnataka” to that of the flutters of the red-yellow flag often waved by those activists.
However, the lovelorn HR manager takes us to the nadir of love when he quotes himself to be a “Soldier of Karnataka”. Which from the same analogy of “soldier of fortune”, can be deduced as “a sentry (watch guard) of Karnataka, whether he likes it or not but for his lover”.
:-)
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things have been blown out of proportion thats all
champa should restrain himself and make statements which are
relevant. he is going too far just to appease some section may be he
wants second term
any body who condmns our bhashe samskruthi are to be prtotested in normal way. not be looting and arson alas you may be putting many kannadigas into problem if you destroy server whatever they have done on any project if gets totally gone without backup elsewhere it is irony. protests are welcome we are democratic country but it should be gandhian way silent and not harmful to anyone.
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they are making issue out nothing.
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hmm… Didn’t Champa float a new political party recently?
Computer oDedu haakakinta Sasken ina yella employees na ond kaDe kooD haakonDu Champa na kaili kavya vaachana maaDsbekaagittu!
avarE aa Lee nO Pee nO yeLkoND bandu biTiroru :D
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For the sake of protection of Kannada, Karnataka, culture and dignity of its people, I would support any action. If you are not aggressive and even militiant sometimes, you are simply trampled upon and silenced. Should that happen to Kannada and Karnataka?….
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All I can say is that I was reminded of the syaing “When Rome was burning, Nero was fiddling” Here in our Karnataka, 80% are below the poverty line (gov. claims it to be 20%), not even 20% of our children in the first to third grade can read simple kannada sentences, 50% drop out before completing 8th grade, we have the luxury of destroying computers because some Canadian wrote a poem which we do not like. Are we that diffident that one Canadian can question the literary or other greatness of Karnataka?
What happened to the concept of “vasudeva kutumbakam”?
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Father beating.. tooth falling… tooth falling… going to Dr.Ramesh.. Dr.Ramesh repairing tooth.
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For God’s sake, what’s the problem with all of us? I read the so called poem 4 times and it still didn’t make any sense to me. Poetic or otherwise! I also couldn’t find anything there that mocks Kannada or Kannadigas.
Champa has ensured that a non-issue has been raised for narrow political gains. At the end of the day, the hard work of providing education, infrastructure, governance, and jobs have been abdicated by all politicians. Today Bal Thakeray runs the Mumbai City. The whole city is still controlled by a non-Marathi business, literary, cultural and professional class.
Bengaluru is fast becoming another Mumbai. If fundamental problems of education, wealth creation, jobs, infrastructure, etc in Karnataka are not addressed, the politics of identity takes over. Of course, such politics won’t solve any problems but at least we’ll all be still screwed but this time in Kannada!
With 34% of Bengaluru consisting of native Kannada speakers, the issue of identity politics is ripe for exploitation. Especially, when thanks to improper education, infrastructure, governance, lack of entrepreneurship, and wealth creation etc, the number of Kannadigas in media, business, police, bureaucracy, sports, cultural activities is shockingly low. That’s the problem that needs to be solved. But that’s harder to do than destroying property and making speeches.
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Couldn’t find anything offessive or insulting in the poem. Still boiling my brains to find out! After all the poet wants to be a soldier of Karnataka. he may not be representing All Non Kannadigas. But may be he had some bad experience. Someone would have ragged him on the first day at office and forcibly made him sing “Huttidare Kannada Nadal…”. In spite of that he wants to be a soft spoken (Not loudmouth) soldier of Karnataka.
KRV should give at least 2 days time before vandalizing. Maybe these 2 days will make them understand what is written. I anyway dont mean they are morons!
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Men of most renowned virtue have sometimes by transgressing most truly kept the law. — John Milton, Tetrachordon (1644–1645).
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outrageous is an understatement to condemn these software companies which are the focal points of anti-kannada campaigns. these companies fail to take action on some hooligan techies who abuse the local language and culture, and harass localites working in these companies. what happened yesterday should be an eyeopener to the management of the companies. I congratulate prof. Champa on taking a very realistic, practical and sensible stand on the issue. KA RA VE should again be complimented.
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I have before me a copy of today’s “Kannada Prabha”. It picks up the following stanza from the “offending” poem (available on That’s Kannada) ….
“Many times I”ve been a traveler
Enjoying speaking of noodles
In days of old
When noodles were cold
I wanted to come home
But being here in my home
Had to always remember
This is the land of noodles
And little white poodles”
…. And translates it into this:
“Saakashtu baari naanu payanisiddene
Daddara bagge maathanaaduttha
Ee naadu neleveedaagide
Guggugaladdu, bolisida bili naayigaladdu”
Only a twisted mind bent on creating trouble and capitalising on it can translate the “noodle” in a poet’s mind into “guggu” and “dadda”.
The dictionary defines a “poodle” as “an intelligent dog with a heavy curly solid-colored coat that is usually clipped; an old breed sometimes trained as sporting dogs or as performing dogs.” At the hands of the poor man’s poets, the intelligence of the dog and its sportingness and performance is buried. They only looked at its clipped coat and turn it into a “bolisida bili naayigaladdu”.
At the hands of Champa and his not-so-literate comrades in the media and on the streets, the spirit of Kannada has been throttled and buried. Amen. It’s high time we stopped talking of the Jnanpith Awards.
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Sometimes a lyrical formation (poem i.e.) doesnt stand by itself. It needs a pillar of context to bear a meaning, and the reader needs to be aware of this.
As that general theory goes, this poem too had its own emotions in its sack, which that canadian guy did pack. The story that goes along with this poem is what we (as outsiders to the event, including Mr. Churumuri) should be looking at, instead of spending all the grey-cell and the binary-digit computing power (across the world) into understanding whatever was encoded into that canadian kid’s sonnet.
There was an employee – with equal rights as this canadian (including the northie) guy – who was teased very often by this guy. This is the original claim, even in Sasken’s letters, so that is the only know truth. From that we can derive the truth about the poem and its embedded insulting intentions and emotions of a guy-lost-in-deparation. And obviously after being treated accordingly (reported as an insult) amidst colleagues as reaction to his mis-doings, the guy, with all his chauvinism, coupled with his ill-formed abilities to encode derogation into poetry form, and his inability to speak straight into his “opponent’s” face, resorted to exhibiting his talent to the entire world, in his attempt to insult the single lady.
But to his unknown misfortune, he included the entire land of Kannadigas into his domain of insult, and preached his sermon amidst code-words of his land – be it noodles or poodles.
And now, back to T0, perhaps T1, one day after he faced the wrath he deserved, they (Lee and his accomplices) are turning their bags upside-down to find their passports for an escape out of the fire they lit.
BTW, did someone think that guy was singing that poem in praise of anyone in Karnataka, or that girl, to say the least? ‘Cos that would be more ridiculous than the poem itself!!
So, with no need to break heads and comprehend the poetic experimentation of a fool, it is better to take it for granted that you can expect a sea to have salt water only, and a poem like that be derogatory only.
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As a true blue Kannadiga, frankly I didn’t find anything offensive in the poem.
Using this non-issue as an excuse to be violent has to be the work of a perverted, deranged mind or a disgruntled ex-employee.
Doesn’t KRV have more constructive things to do…like conduct free Kannada classes for immigrants, ensure proper care of our heritage sites, making our vast literary treasures available to a wider audience etc., rather than indulge in petty vandalism for a few moments of TV time?
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awesome nijavada.
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I just read, re read and read again the offending poem ( English version ) and found nothing offending or wrong or anything that warranted violent reactions. I actually found the poem quite pathetic..
Dont understand what the fuss was all about.. Is there more to just the shitty poem ?
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I agree with you Manu. This guy has just done a spoof on Ritchie Blackmore’s soldier of fortune. In fact the Hotel California spoof on Kerala is seriously offends them. But we haven’t heard Mallus destroying property. Apart from that loud-mouthed bit there is nothing that even remotely belittles Karnataka or Kannada. This is not even an excuse to take to the streets.
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letter was meant to offend / tease the lady .How kannada and kannadiga’s came into the picture is something i cant understand.
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This is bad poetry- and everyone has the right to write bad poetry. At the beginning of the last century ‘poodle’ was part of offensive slang to describe women. Poodle-faker is still a term used to describe men who seek favours from rich and influential women- noodles are lap dogs you know. Noodle is again a slang term for the Head ( that peice of the human body on top of the shoulders- which going by things in general most people dont seem to miss!). These things seem to suggest that the poem ( if at all it is a poem ) was written as an outcome of interpersonal issues and pettyy office poitice. It has the faint odour of sexism. It certainly doesnt smell of anti- Kannada sentiments. In fact it doesnt have any sentiment at all. Just bad poetry!
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We are slaves since 2000 years … we must all think and analyse why… we hold a record … never in the history of mankind have so few people have ruled over so many people … British ruled over 4000 Indian kingdoms … Reason we always fought amongst each other in the name of Language, Region, Caste and God knows what … Sasken is an Indian Company, It maintains many parks in Bangalore … It undertakes many social activities… Just 3 days before this rampage the CEO participated in a rally to clean up Bangalore … And these hooligans and cheap politicians and cheaper media TV 9 with filthy interests sensationalised the issue out of proportion … Yes that Lee should be held responsible but harassing a geniune Indian Company which has never thrown out its employees in worst IT days, when other companies were throwing out employees …. Shame on all who did all this and people who support all this … WE ARE STILL BEING SLAVED BY OUR OWN PEOPLE … THESE POLITICIANS.
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In a recent survey, most of the Bangalore traffic policemen couldn’t read the Kannada name plates of vehicles. And they all claimed Kannada is their mother tongue. Shouldn’t we make our own people Kannada literate before asking others to learn it? Have all these Kannada enthusiasts have read all the works of all the Janapita award winners from Karnataka or at least know their names? And can all Kannadiga’s say that they do not make fun of people who speak other languages? Introspection is very much the need of the day, that is, if one is capable of that.
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I read the poem and being born and bred in Karnataka felt there was a mis-characterization about Karnatakans being “loud-mouthed”. Maybe Lee is confusing the North Indians with Bangaloreans. But I did not feel insulted by the kanthri naayi.
About the poodles, I think for some slant-eyed, slimes it is a non-veg food item. All the pomeranians of Bangalore must make the guy hungry!
I yearn for my city which has been destroyed by these money-hungry rogues of bastard cultures (Lee the Chinaman from Canada with a North Indian chorus in Bangalore?). I know we’ll never get it back. I feel frustrated and want to lash out. I hope they all leave Bangalore. Good riddance!
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KRV has done a right job in demolishing Sasken.
The management has to pay for its employees misbehaviour..
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Now the kannadigas have to ask KRV seriously what or whom they are protecting (Rakshana). If they read a couple days back “star of mysore” they will be able to know the level of kannada knowledge of our great corporators while they taking oaths … it is so disgraceful that some were not in the position to repeat what was told… on the other hand our great son of soil and his greatest son Sri H.D Kumaraswamy gives interviews in broken english for the NDTV or CNN IBN …. is this not disgraceful… Why KRV is overlooking it … or its just political hunger for luring the people on the language line….. Karnataka jagarana vedike should be started to stop these vandalism
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Now north indians and other outsiders in Karnataka who congregate in groups at their workplace and loudly harangue and speak shit about the local culture, language and people, will think twice.
Hopefully the ones who dont know the meaning of mutual respect will not come to Bangalore or Mysore and stay in their native places.
And some higher-ups in IT labour companies who think they are bigger than the place which has allowed to prosper will have learnt their lesson in humility. Or pack up and leave to the preferred destination they have been threatening they will go.
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I alwayz thought all IT companies have zero tolerance to Racisim. Ignoring such incidents as a Boyish prank and pushing under the carpet is more dangerous and racist.
Why companies take actions only when there is a demonstration,thats a question pondering my mind. Well, it sends a wrong signals to society that, until and unless u ransack us we don’t give u a dime.
If same incident ever happened against any black american in west, probably reaction might have been not different.
Racists like Lee, do exists everywhere, we need to fight against them.
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KRV has been doing a fantastic job when it comes to the bread and
butter of kannadigas across. Be it the railway agitation or the Airport melodrama, it is on the right track.
Karnataka is no “dharma chatra” for outsiders. Kannadigas have always
been generous to people coming from other states which has been
misused badly by others.
KRV has a focussed vision on all the attributes of kannadigas. It has tried their best to impose the kannada medium of instruction
in all the state government schools spread across the state. This was
one of the serious issues taken up by the KRV which is still not
implemented due to the negative interest shows by the governments.
A recent protest against appointing an Andhra member for the
Vijaapura(Bijapur) women university syndicate. The interest behind the
protest was to have a senior kannada entreprenur for the same post who
can look into the interest of the localites.Only fools can deny that
KRV doesn’t have a vision with respect to the Education arena.
Any debates?
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@so are we happy now?
4th please go and read more about HINDI , don’t give your crap ideas like National language ..blah blah…
“Lukewarm acceptance is more bewildering than outright rejection.”
Negligence and ignorance about racism is crime too, Company is very much accountable for the same. Don’t be insensitive to Racism…
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Everyone has been speculating and choosing the interpretation they like to see. There is nothing as offensive in it to get hurt and vandalize. Sad to see we kannadigas drawing inspiration from tamilians on linguistic chauvanism.
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To know about KRV’s viewpoint on this issue, please read their press release in this link:
http://www.karnatakarakshanavedike.org/modes/view/63/it-kannadigara-bembalakke-karave.html
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>>gatekeeper Says:
… We are fed up of you and KRV’s violent tactics. Please retire and we will take it on from here… >>
Even now you can take it from now onwards…from whereever it is….start from the company you work in…in your own way…everybody has their own way of doing things…
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KA RA VE has plyed a major role in kannadigas winning belagaavi nagara sabha. after 18 years a kannadathi has become mayor. narayana gowda staying put in balagaavi the previous day and preventing horse trading has helped in bringing to end the discrimination against kannadigas in their homeland.
its time that ALL IT COMPANIES in bengaooru and mysooru open free kannada classes and make it mandatory for MIGRANTS from other states to learn kannada as a part of training.
KANNADA SANGHA SHOULD BE THERE IN EVERY IT and BT COMPANY to promote local culture and bring harmony amongst working youth.
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thank god krv and its goons / supporters are not demanding that the source code / software for major applications should be in kannada.
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>>sainik Says:
5 March 2008 at 12:46 pm
thank god krv and its goons / supporters are not demanding that the source code / software for major applications should be in kannada. >>
What a Joke!
Tried but could not laugh.
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Otherwise,
They are smart. But they will soon demand the application interfaces be in Kannada. That’s okay and fun too. MS Office can be Microsoft kacheri, MS Word will be Microsoft Pada, Recycle Bin- Kasada Butti My documents- Nanna kagadapatragalu. Internet Explorer- Antharjaala Anveshaka etc.
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@AnonyMys:
>>Have all these Kannada enthusiasts have read all the works of all the Janapita award winners from Karnataka or at least know their names?
Im assuming you are a code jockey like me. DO you know all the people or read the works of those who are responsible for computers today. This is a specious argument…KRV is doing a nice job and it is improtant that we support them in their endeavour!
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all non-karnataka guys should respect karnataka and its culture..
you use our resources, we paid cess an taxes on the fuel for what we thought was our roads, now that you guys have come don’t go about criticizing everything under the sun..
you gotta a lot of cash do something about them..and if you still got a problem go back..
but please understand one thing..
the employee does not own Sasken, People do..
by destroying their property what good have we done??
if violence helps, well then i don’t know what to say..
obviously anyone would hate it if their language and culture is disrespected, but then which culture teaches us to behave this way??
maybe not you and i, but our kids would want to go abroad someday..what if??
some non-karnataka guys need to learn, but we should not forget our culture.. because of these MNCs many us are getting jobs we couldn’t have dreamt of..
trust me without MNCs, Bangalore would be nothing..
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k,
You said:
‘trust me without MNCs, Bangalore would be nothing..’
Trust me before the IT companies came and setup base Bangalore, it was still Bangalore – the capital of Karnataka. A great city with a culture.
And trust me, if all the IT companies who treat Bangalore as just a place to park their labor leave, Bangalore will still remain a great city. Only a few companies and individuals who have benefitted monetarily will leave. Nothing more.
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“thank god krv and its goons / supporters are not demanding that the source code / software for major applications should be in kannada.”
No sainik, why would they want to make such a ridiculous demand.
If the outsiders just show some respect and stop their groupism, all this would never have occurred anyway.
Next time you think of making fun of Karnataka, kannada or anything else local in our company which is located in Bangalore or Mysore; remember what happened at sasken.
Keep your superiority complex to yourself at home. And stop your groupism in hiring and interactions at your workplace.
And please go ahead and code in english, hindi, tamil, chinese… No one will ever stop you.
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K and Anon Guy- I wondered if your two statements together was an example fort he aphorism of Truth being somewhere in between? Without the IT industry and MNCscertainly Bengalooru would be poorer- in every sense of the word. However to presume that a city of 7 million and a glorious tradition in Science /Technology and Education would be nothing without the above mentioned entities is either Hubris or studpidity or Both.
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sainik, taleharate and Otherwise!
You guys must be living in your dark bottomless wells where its really hard for you to realise that all that you’re sarcastically mentioning about – there being all those software and related stuff in Kannada – are going to be practical, and available for Kannadigas to use and benefit from. Of course not for useless nerds who think all that is inferior to develop, and no doubt lack the stuff inside them to achieve that.
Of course from your pit inside the well, you wouldnt have observed that the Chinese, Israelis and the Japanese already have all this available to them in their computer world – needless to say, all that has triggered their average computer awareness among people, and perhaps is one reason why they’re a developed people.
But you dont know what the state of being developed is, do you?! You’re but living in your dark abyss, and plummeting every moment!
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@ the end of the day , KRV would not mind if ,
Tamil/ Telugu manual labouers help in constructing the skyscrapers / buildings .
Northies help in laying the tiles for all the buildings and also hand over CASH to the Goons who extort to live a luxurious life.
Support of the visual Media to scare the outsiders or create a fear in the minds of those who dont accept their way of thinking.
Remake movies as long as the producer or distributor makes peace with the krv.( peace thro currency )
needs all the MNC’s banks and Companies : without them the organisation will bleed for finances.WIth so many companies in Bangalore , the funding for KRV and its committe members is assured.
YET the KRV and its leder publicly issue contradictory statements
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‘Without the IT industry and MNCscertainly Bengalooru would be poorer- in every sense of the word.’
How do you know this? Please explain. Let me also make an arbitrary statement in response – there are more poor people in Bangalore now than there were a couple of decades before the IT labour shops started setting up their outsourcing base in Bangalore. And a lot of them are not from Karnataka.
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Nijavada,
You got me wrong. I’ll be the first one to buy a Windows licence the day Microsoft announces a Kannada version and I can have a keyboard where I can switch from Kannada to English and vice versa effortlessly.
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Heh. What a waste.
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Globalisation eliminated national borders. Now ersatz nationalism threatens to destroy linguistic diversity in India. Eventually many languages will disappear, but I don’t want to see that fate befall Kannada in my lifetime.
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Did anybody see the article of Champa in today’s vijayakarnataka? Read it, it is beautiful funny article. Champa and Karunanidhi can stand on the same wood. … Ee aralu maralige, thale kettu kera hididide… enthavarella Kannada na represent madodo namma karma. Enthavarinda namage mukthi yendu?
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@so are we happy now?,
pardon me for being snooty sir, I am a kannadiga and hindi was part of my curriculum at school. I can read, write and converse in hindi and I am proud of hindi as my national language.
And having lived all my 30 years in karnataka, I know very well that majority of the literate brethren know hindi.
Please don’t assume things.
***
@k,
“trust me without MNCs, Bangalore would be nothing..”
haha….dude/dudette, please keep your bigoted opinion to yourself. Bengaluru was everything you could ever imagine before MNCs, NOW its NOTHING !!!!!
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@k,
“trust me without MNCs, Bangalore would be nothing..”
haha….dude/dudette, please keep your bigoted opinion to yourself. Bengaluru was everything you could ever imagine before MNCs, NOW its NOTHING !!!!!
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