State anthem row: Karnataka HC issues notice to govt

BENGALURU:  The Karnataka High Court on Friday issued notice to the State Government after hearing a petition filed against the order issued for a rendition of the State anthem ‘Jayabharatha Jananiya Thanujathe’ in a tune composed by Mysore Ananthaswamy.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Kikkeri Krishna Murthy, one of the singers of the tune composed by late Dr C Ashwath.  The petition stated that the entire state was singing the anthem in a tune composed by C Ashwath, after declaring the full text of the poem as an anthem by the government, through an order in 2004.

Though both committees led by Vasantha Kanakapura and Dr Channaveera Kanavi recommended continuing the tune composed by Ashwath, the committee headed by singer Vidwan HR Leelavathi had recommended rendition of the tune of Mysore Ananthaswamy in 2021.  At this juncture, a representation was submitted to the chief secretary and others to bring to their notice that Ananthaswamy had not composed the entire tune to the anthem, the same was not considered and the impugned order was passed on September 25, 2022, the petitioner alleged.  

It was stated that the impugned order is impossible to implement, since there is no full tune of the anthem by Ananthaswamy, and the government has to get another portion of tune from a third person. In that situation, it amounts to showing disrespect to Ananthaswamy and as well as anthem, the petitioner claimed.