Buy, buy: There's more controversy in the book, says Viswanath

Former chief minister S M Krishna does not have a fling with B Saroja Devi in Congressman H Viswanath's English version of his autobiography. He did in the Kannada version which had kicked up quite a controversy when it was released last January.

Krishna's closeness with yesteryears star Saroja Devi has been diluted in the English version, to be released in December. Viswanath has dropped the lines that suggest that the Texas-educated politician fondly remembers his past lovers. The word 'lovers' has been replaced with 'numbers' in the English version, Song of a Village Bird.

Ripples

Viswanath was a minister in Krishna's cabinet. His   autobiography, Halli Hakki Hadu, had created ripples in state politics after MiD DAY reported about the book a day before its release. 

 "I have not deleted the episode as such," said Viswanath. "It is there, but I have removed a few lines to which people had taken objection."

Viswanath wanted to ask Krishna to release the book, but the latter was preoccupied with other things.

Final touches

D A Shankar, a retired English professor from Mysore University who is translating the book, said he was giving it the final touches.

"As a translator, I have enjoyed freedom, but there is a little modification to suit the English version. We have removed some portions that were not required for the quality of the book," he said.

However, Viswanath maintained the book had little changes except for a couple of lines on the Krishna-Saroja Devi relationship that had drawn flak. In fact, he was writing a second edition of the autobiography that had even more controversial things.

"My intention is not to hurt anybody. But, as a politician I have made observations on contemporary politics," he said.

'Not interested'

Asked for her views, Saroja Devi said, "I'm no longer interested in such issues. I will be happy if he has removed the unwanted reference to me as he has no right to comment on other people's lives."

Krishna was unavailable for comment.

A conversation in the car

In the book, Viswanath recalls a chat he had with Krishna, though the English version is a considerably toned
down one. Krishna and Viswanath were travelling in a car during the elections in 2004. A newspaper on the seat said Saroja Devi could get a Congress ticket to contest from Mandya.  "What do people think," Krishna reportedly asked Viswanath. He said, "Sir, people know what happened between you and the star when you were young. They say Krishna won't forget his old number, and will definitely give her a ticket." Krishna reportedly said, "We should not forget old numbers. It is a sin."