Kalburgi murder: Six writers return awards over slow probe
Bengaluru, Oct 3 (PTI): Upset over the delay in arrest of Kannada thinker M M Kalburgi's killers even a month after he was gunned down, six Kannada writers today returned their awards to Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
"All the six Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation Aralu Sahitya Award winners have returned awards, disappointed over the delay in the arrest of the killers of Kalburgi," Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Pundalik Halambi told PTI here.
Kalburgi was shot dead at point-blank range by two unidentified men at his residence on August 30.
His murder had raised a storm over threat to free speech. Police are still clueless on the killers and their motive, even as they are probing the suspected role of right wing fringe elements.
CID is investigating the case which the government has announced would be taken over by CBI.
Veeranna Madiwalar, T Satish Javare Gowda, Sangamesh Menasinakai, Hanumanth Haligeri, Shridevi V Aloor and Chidanand Sali were conferred the awards on November 22, 2011, at a function where Kalburgi was honoured with the prestigious Nrupatunga Prashasti.
"It is a simple gesture to exert pressure on the state government to nab the culprits," Javare Gowda had said before announcing their decision to return the awards.
As a mark of protest, the young writers returned their awards and demanded speedy arrest of people who killed the progressive writer, Halambi said.
"Initially, I refused to take back the awards saying it was disappointing that they were being returned to the parishat, which had given them away to encourage young writers," he said.
Halambi said he told the writers that instead of returning the awards, it would be appropriate to first talk to the government and request them to expedite the investigation and arrest the killers, but they were not convinced.
"Ultimately I had to agree to their request," Halambi said. The writers, who returned the awards, were accompanied by veteran Kannada writer Chandrashekhar Patil (Champa), who had earlier returned the state government's Pampa Award as a protest against the killing of Kalburgi, his close associate.
Recently, another Kannada writer K S Bhagwan and some others have also come under attack from right wing fringe elements, who have accused them of deliberately making "offensive remarks" against Hinduism and its gods. The writers have been provided security following threats to them.
A case has been booked against Bhagwan for allegedly "outraging" religious feelings by speaking ill of Ramayana and Mahabharata and also Hindu gods and for making "disparaging" remarks about Lord Ram.
Investigation in the Kalburgi case is under progress with police looking at linking the murder of rationalist activists like Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare in Maharashtra also to it.
Comment on this article
Richard, Shirva/Sharjah
Mon, Oct 05 2015expect one among should be unethical prof. KSB!!
why government unnecessarily wasting public(tax) money for security of KSB, who did nothing good!!, first priority to arrest unethical KSB
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Harish, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015Dear Daiji,
Please inform us whether they return the cash along with this awards?
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Shankar, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015Pura nattunakulu. Cash epa return malpere?
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Asif, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015onji nattunayena Haryanad Ambassador Malthergetha???
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TTS, Kadri
Sun, Oct 04 2015ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಕಣ್ಮಣಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಕಲಬುರ್ಗಿಯವರ ಕೊಲೆಗಡುಕರನ್ನು ಯಾವುದೇ ಒತ್ತಡಕ್ಕೆ ಮಣಿಯದ ಕೂಡಲೇ ನೇಣುಗಂಬಕ್ಕೆರಿಸಬೇಕು.ವಚನ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರು ಮಾಡಿದ ಅಪೂರ್ವ ಸಾಧನೆಯನ್ನು ಗೌರವಿಸಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಭಾರತ ರತ್ನ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಸಿಗಲು ಶಿಫಾರಸು ಮಾಡಬೇಕು.
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Shankar, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015Ninna kanmani aagirbodappa! Karnatakakke generalise maadbeda.
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Sudhakar, Kallianpur
Sun, Oct 04 2015Aaitu marayare Karlburgige Bharat Ratna, TTS Kadrige Nobel Shanti prashasti.
Mugembo Kush Hogayaa...
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Harish, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015Dear TTS,
Bharath Ratna chettambade alla sikkidavarige kodalikke..
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Asif, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015Nimma Peticoat baba nige kottre tumba santosha agtittu allave?
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Shankar, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015Welcome move by these unknown authors. Let all the useless authors return the undeserving awards please do not forget to return the cash too.
Shameless Bhagawan too should return his KSA award.
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KRPrabhu, B'luru
Sun, Oct 04 2015First,this Baghavan should change his name immediately which will be a great service to the soceity....
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Ronston Saldhana, mangaluru
Sun, Oct 04 2015Do not hide the truth you know very well about it.
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Rajesh, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015The awards are given by acclaimed writers.not decided by your ilk of illiterate people. only hollow people cannot counter their arguments that is why they indulge in these shameless acts. today you might kill him. there will be more and more people who will put beliefs into scrutiny . u cannot kill them all.
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ummar, mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015let them catch frst who killed kalaburgi then law wil thk what to do with them ,
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HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain
Sun, Oct 04 2015Kalburgi murderers should be hanged like Yakub Mamon.
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Asif, Mangalore
Sun, Oct 04 2015No should be lynched like Ikhlaq U.P
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Thousif, Manglore Bolar
Sat, Oct 03 2015Y to arrest terrorist just shoot those Kesari dirty rats on spot where they find ..
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David, Mangaluru
Sun, Oct 04 2015@ Thousif, Manglore Bolar, same treatment should be given to green terrorists too.
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Gabriel , mangalore
Sat, Oct 03 2015RSS VHP SANATHAN BD SRS BJP ETC. ARE SURE BEHIND RATIONALISTS MURDERS
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