Felicitation of Gauri murder accused: Activists see red

NT Correspondent Bengaluru: Mtop trivializing murder; the accused were released on bail, but their actions do not deserve celebration," said MT Subhashchandra, director of the Veerashaiva Lingayat Samanvaya Committtee while reacting to the felicitation and garlanding of Parashuram Waghmore and Manohar Yadave, accused of killing Indian scholar MM Kalburgi and renowned journalist Gauri Lankesh. This felicitation was organised by pro-Hindutva activists. The duo were recently released on bail from Parappana Agrahara Jail, and were honoured with pomp in Vijayapura on 12th October. This act has insulted the Veerashaiva Lingayat community, said the activists at a protest held at Chalukya Circle on Friday. While speaking with News Trail, Subhashchandra said, “Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh were assassinated. The accused were released on trial bail; they have not done anything good to deserve heroic treatment.

This is similar to how some people glorify Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. Crime is a crime and no democracy allows us to kill someone. We condemn such actions and urge society to avoid practices that send the wrong message to the younger generation.” The protestors remembered the contributions of Lankesh to journalism, stating that the 'voice of truth' was killed on 5th September 2017, which should be remembered as a black day for journalism. They claimed that the freedom of speech was denied and murdered in a cruel society. The protestors demanded that the bail plea of the accused be revoked. About 200 members participated in the protest.