MYSURU: Launching a direct attack on national parties, noted writer Chandrashekar Patil on Friday said they had failed to protect the interests of Kannadigas and Karnataka. Batted for regional parties, he requesting people to support secular forces with a regional agenda.

Without naming any political party, Champa riled the forces posing a danger to the multicultural ethos of the nation, an indirect reference to the BJP. "People should vote for secular parties. There is a need to make our choice crystal clear to protect the interests of the state," he said.

Delivering the presidential address at the inauguration of the 83rd Kannada Sahitya Sammelana at Maharaja's College Grounds, leftist writer Champa, as he is popularly known, said: "If we have to opt for a national party in the assembly polls, we should factor in some issues, like whether it has a regional agenda. What is its take on issues concerning the state? Has it clearly spelt out its manifesto? The national party should be committed to constitutional values."

He said national parties which come to power in the state have their head office at Delhi, which controls everything, from electing the leader to deciding the portfolios of the ministers. "The CM is always on edge to save his gaddi. National parties have not helped the state's cause and will not do so in future. Regional parties are on the rise in the nation," he stated, pointing to the political prowess of former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

During his two-hour speech, Champa referred to the ensuing assembly polls and explained the political situation prevailing in India, especially in the aftermath of the BJP's ascension to power at the Centre, how pluralism is facing threat and how "Hindi imperialism" is being thrust upon the states by the central government.

"The federal structure is heading towards a crisis. 'Vande Mataram', which we rendered for decades, has been hijacked by these forces. I wonder whether Bharat Mata is now reduced to Hindu Mata. The constitutional guarantees of freedom, equality, secularism and social justice are facing grave danger. Questions about attack on freedom of expression and rationalism are now dubbed 'anti-national', pushing me to wonder whether we are hurtling towards fascism," he said.

Champa referred to the agitation against Hindi in the Bengaluru Metro, and said: "It is practiced by organizations which are controlled by the Centre. There is no reference in the Constitution that says Hindi is our national language." He praised CM Siddaramaiah and the Kannada Development Authority for standing up to Hindi imperialism.