Hubballi: Litterateurs and intellectuals have resolved to step up their agitation as the investigative agency has failed to catch the assassins of rationalist Dr M.M. Kalburgi. They are planning to hold protests and conventions in all districts of North Karnataka on August 30 to mark the second death anniversary of the deceased scholar. The writers and family members have expressed concern over lack of progress by the CID, the investigating agency, in the case.
They have sought a formal public statement from the government about its commitment to bring the probe to its logical end.
Senior police officials, including Hemant Nimbalkar of the CID, have been transferred, and the writers contend that the move by the government has weakened the probe team, instead of strengthening it. They now demand a thorough probe supervised by the High Court as it is being done in the case of killing of rationalists Dr Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare in Maharashtra. “The murder has failed to make any impact on the politicians, though two years have passed since the murder of Dr Kalburgi,” they said.
“Thousands of litterateurs and artistes will hold demonstrations in Gadag on the 15th and 30th of every month to attract the attention of the government. The investigation is not going in the right direction despite the government claiming the involvement of some religious fundamentalist groups and organisations. It should make tangible effort to convey to the family of Dr Kalburgi and writers the exact status of the probe,” said litterateur Basavaraj Sulibhavi.
The police officials had released the sketches of two assailants who fired at the rationalist at his house in Dharwad, based on the statement given by his wife Umadevi, who is the only eyewitness. The CID sleuths had questioned the neighbours and litterateurs, who were close to the deceased, and zeroed in on some right wing elements. But, the investigation has not seen any progress despite Dr G. Parameshwar, then home minister, had claimed to have got some clues in the case.
