Fellow activists pay last respects to G. Rajashekara

They hail his lifelong association with progressive politics

Writer Vaidehi pays her tributes to G. Rajashekara, progressive thinker and writer, who passed away on July 20, before his cremation in Udupi on July 21. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Writer, critic and activist G. Rajashekara, who passed away on Wednesday, was cremated at Beedinagudde crematorium in Udupi on Thursday noon.

Earlier, a large number of his students and fellow activists paid their last respects.

Writer Vaidehi, president of Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike K.L. Ashok, president of Democratic Youth Federation of India’s State unit Muneer Katipalla, former Minister Vinaya Kumar Sorake were among those who paid their last respects.

Condoling the death of Mr. Rajashekara, former Karnataka Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah described him as an outspoken man who strove to strengthen cordial relationships in society all his life.

President of Dakshina Kannada unit of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) Aboobakkar Kulai said that he led the agitations of minorities, Dalits and Backward Classes. Mr. Rajashekara strongly fought against the rise of Hindutva forces.

Secretary of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi units of the Communit Party of India (CPI) V. Kukyan said that Mr. Rajashekara supported Left ideology and led progressive agitations and movements all his life. His death was a setback to the progressive movements and that the country now required an activist like Mr. Rajashekara more than ever, the CPI said.

Global and local

Activist K. Phaniraj, who participated in many agitations with the deceased, said that Mr. Rajashekara had a unique capacity of connecting the global developments with very local happenings. He was instrumental in launching “Souharda Vedike”, a citizen’s movement, to counter the raise of communal forces in undivided Dakshina Kannada since 1998.

He wrote elaborately on communal violence victims in Lankesh Pathrike and also appeared before the Sadashiva Commission to present his detailed accounts on the impacts of communal violence in Surathkal along with Mr. Phaniraj.

Initiation into activism

Mr. Rajashekar who worked in LIC till his retirement was influenced by his brother Vasudeva Rao, who was actively involved in LIC’s employees’ union, to engage himself in trade union activities, Mr. Phaniraj said. The late thinker was also influenced by the thoughts of Jnanpith awardee the late Kota Shivarama Karanth, who also hailed from the coastal region, he said.