Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Mar 30: More than a week after the brutal murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga at PVS Kala Kunj Road in Kodialbail, Rationalists' Association along with DYFI, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, SFI and Baliga's parents on Wednesday March 30 questioned the silence of the GSB community to which Baliga belonged and of society at large, and also pointed fingers at a temple and a school against which Baliga had filed cases.
Addressing a press meet here, Prof Narendra Nayak, president of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations, who has been vocal on the issue, said, "We condemn the brutal murder of RTI activist Vinayak Baliga. This is an indirect signal to all RTI activists that they should be 'careful and not interfere in corrupt people's affairs'. Vinayak Baliga was a GSB and devotee of Lord Venkataramana Temple, but not a single GSB organization or individual has spoken for him or condemned his murder.
"Baliga had pointed out irregularities in the temple functioning and challenged it in the high court. He had also questioned the school managed by VHP leader M B Puranik that had created parking and traffic problems in the area. Baliga had exposed many issues related to builders and the real estate industry.
"Baliga in his case had demanded re-audit of Shree Venkataramana Temple. The high court had referred the case to the sessions court. During the hearing, Baliga had said that he had threat to life from the opponent. He had appealed to the court to appoint an auditor to look into the accounts of the temple from 2007 to 2015 as there were irregularities," Prof Nayak said.
"The temple'e earlier accountant's licence was cancelled by the court. Now some influential and prominent persons have gone missing," he said, making a veiled reference to a Yuva Brigade leader who is alleged to be 'absconding', and whose house the police had visited.
"A section of the media has speculated that Baliga was involved in blackmail. I challenged this claim. If someone has proof, then show it. Even the police department has said he was not involved in any such thing. Go to his house and see the condition of his parents and two unmarried sisters," he said.
"Baliga belonged to Konkani-speaking community but no Konkani speaking person or organization has condemned the murder. He was a Hindu devotee," he added.
Criticizing the silence of public at large, he said, "I strongly condemn the silence of the GSB community and of the society. No one has come forward to speak up. This is a murder of humanity. All those who indulge in immoral rowdyism and attack couples of different faiths have spent crores of rupees on renovating places of worship and thousands who do it are sleeping now. The so-called minorities who cry foul when their places of worship are attacked or their religious sentiments are hurt have not uttered a single whimper on this murder of a fellow human being."
"Baliga was murdered by professional killers and we want to know who hired them and why. This struggle for justice will be taken to Bengaluru and if necessary to Delhi," he asserted.
Ganesh Baliga, who had supported Vinayak in his RTI activism, said, "This murder has put RTI activists in a quandary over how to proceed in future. Vinayak Baliga spent money from his own pocket to file RTIs. He did not do this for personal gain but to bring transperancy in the Shree Venkataramana temple administration. The temple was functioning as per the norms set in 1927, and Baliga had filed a case in 2014 in the court stating that the income of the temple had increased manifold and he found misappropriation approximately worth Rs 8 crore during the period of 2007-2015. There is no proper documentation either. He demanded re-auditing as gold and silver were coming into the temple. The court appointed a new auditor. The next hearing in this case is scheduled for April 2.
"Baliga had filed the case against the temple in order to bring transparency in its administration. I personnally suspect that someone from our own community (GSB) is involved in this. He had told me that he was facing threat to life and had stopped going out after 8 pm," he added.
At this point, Vinayak Baliga's father Ramachandra said, "My son would not go out after 8 pm. He would sit at the dinner table and ask if the gate was locked."
Baliga's mother Jayanti with tears in her eyes said, "I have lost my son. In my entire life I have never cursed anyone, but today I am cursing his murderers. I have a small family and today we have become destitutes. He was the only brother for his sisters who are at home."
DYFI president Muneer Katipalla said, "Powerful lobbies are said to be involved in this case, hence a special investigation team under an IPS officer should be appointed. He exposed many issues of builders, real estate industry, educational institutions, religious leaders and banking lobbies. Minister U T Khader who visited his house should bring this issue to the attention of the chief minister and the CM should appoint a special officer to investigate the case. We have faith in the police commissioner, still we want a special team to probe the case."
Meanwhile, reliable sources said that a senior chartered accountant's car was used by the murderers, who had come in a bike, to get away after committing the crime. This probably explains why the CCTV images failed to capture images of the bike leaving the spot.