Social activist Siddanagowda Patil has urged the State government to take steps to ensure early passage of the anti-superstition Bill to pay real homage to Kannada scholar late M.M. Kalburgi, who boldly articulated his views against meaningless rituals practised in the name of religion that had led to exploitation of common people.
Mr. Patil was speaking at a seminar organised by M.M. Kalburgi Hatye Virodhi Samiti here on Friday to pay tributes to Kalburgi.
The assassination of Kalburgi and rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare reflects the growing intolerance towards intellectual freedom in Indian society. It was unfortunate that some functionaries of the right-wing organisations had posted certain messages in social media in support of the assassination of Kalburgi, he said.
Right to dissent was a precious privilege enjoyed by all citizens in democracy. For Kalburgi, research work was not a mere intellectual exercise, but a means to question the myths propagated by certain vested interests on Kannada culture, and thereby re-construct the Kannada identity, he said, and termed the murder of Kalburgi an assault on democracy. The civil society should get united and condemn Kalburgi’s killing, he said.
The State government should get those responsible for the incident arrested and thereby, display its commitment to protection of freedom of expression. Karnataka had a rich tradition of intellectual inquiry. The Kannada intellectual sphere had witnessed healthy debates on a wide range of issues by scholars belonging to diverse ideological streams in the past. The protests staged across the State condemning the killing of Kalburgi, in which people from various sections of society participated, proved that such heinous acts would not be tolerated here, he said.
Flute recital
Social activist Kadidal Shamanna inaugurated the seminar by playing the flute. Writers Na. D’Souza and Rajendra Chenni were present.
A jatha was taken out through the main streets here to condemn the killing of Kalburgi. Functionaries of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Youth Congress took part in the jatha.
For Kalburgi, research wasn’t a mere intellectual exercise, but a means to question myths propagated by certain vested interests.
Siddanagowda Patil,
Social activist
