Government did not budge to pressure

BANGALORE: Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda claimed that his government did not budge to any kind of pressure or influence while selecting candidates for Rajyotsava award this year and also defended his decision to restrict the number of awardees to 50.“As list becomes long, it will lose its value. So we decided to restrict the number so that only deserving people will receive the award. I am glad that we have succeeded in this,” Gowda said after giving away Rajyotsava awards at Ravindra Kalakshetra on Tuesday. “There were 4,000 applications seeking award, of which we selected only 13 people. Rest of the 37 were identified by the Kannada and Culture Department and the selection committee,” the chief minister said.Fifty achievers from different walks of life received the state award. Kannada and culture Minister Govind Karjol, commissioner of Kannada and Culture Department Manu Baligar and secretary Basavaraju were present on the occasion.