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The Karnataka government is set to organise the state's first-ever 'Urdu Habba' (Urdu Festival) at the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha on November 9, as part of Urdu Day celebrations.
Karnataka Health & Family Welfare Minister UT Khader Khader made the announcement a day earlier and said the objective of the festival is to showcase Urdu language, literature, culture, heritage and art forms to people across communities in Karnataka. "When there is scope to organise programmes related to various departments and sectors in the Vidhana Soudha premises, a big programme related to Urdu language and literature can also be held at the same place. That is the thought behind this decision," the minister said. The minister said the Urdu festival will go beyond a literary gathering and will serve as a platform to showcase various aspects of Urdu culture, including books, cuisine and art forms. The event will feature a book fair, food festival, cultural programmes, annual award ceremony and a grand Mushaira. "Urdu is not just a language. It has a vast literary and cultural heritage attached to it. There is a need to introduce Urdu poetry, prose, music and cultural heritage to other communities of the state. An effort will be made to create a collective cultural platform through Urdu Habba," Khader said. Meanwhile, the announcement drew criticism from BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar, who objected to holding the event at Vidhana Soudha. Kumar alleged that the government was using Vidhana Soudha, which he described as a symbol of Kannadigas' identity, for "vote-bank appeasement of a particular community".He demanded that the decision be withdrawn. "How many times has such a grand platform of Vidhana Soudha been made available for the Kannada language?" Suresh Kumar questioned. (ANI)
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