The 12th May Sahitya Mela will be held at RN Shetty Hall in Hubballi on May 16 and 17.

This year 's theme is “Attack on Constitutional Democracy”.

Convenor of the literature festival Basavaraj Sulibhavi said that it is aimed at bringing together writers, thinkers, activists and citizens to deliberate on the topic.

The event will be jointly organised by various literary, cultural and social organisations with an objective of fostering awareness and encouraging collective action in defence of democratic ideals.

“The event aims to highlight growing concerns over the state of democratic values in India and the challenges facing the Constitution. The mela seeks to promote dialogue on issues such as equality, justice, freedom and social harmony that form the foundation of the democratic system. The Constitution represents a vision of inclusivity and equal rights for all citizens. However, recent socio-political developments, including cultural intolerance and divisive tendencies, have raised serious questions about its effective implementation. The mela will serve as a platform to examine these concerns and explore ways to safeguard democratic principles,” he said.

Organising committee member Mahesh Pattar said that the programme will feature a series of panel discussions, seminars, poetry sessions, storytelling events and cultural activities.

A book exhibition and art displays will be organised.

Activists and intellectuals like retired judge of Bombay High Court B.G. Kolse Patil, the former judge H Nagamohan Das, the former bureaucrat V. Balasubramanian, writers Kum Veerabhadrappa, Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy, Dinesh Amin Mattu, Banjagere Jayaprakash and social activists Sayyed Khasim Rasool Ilyas from Delhi and S.R. Hiremath and others from across the country are expected to participate and share their perspectives.

Writers and poets from Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh will attend, he said.

Dharwad District Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Lingaraj Angadi, activists Nagaraj Gurikar, Gurunath Ullikashi, B.S. Soppin, Isabella Xavier, Sunanda Kadame, B. Maruti and others were present in the press meet.