Bengaluru - Eminent Kannada Scholar Dr MM Kalaburgi who was shot dead at his house in Dharwad on Sunday morning was a multifaceted personality. He was a researcher who studied inscriptions and ancient Kannada literature, a popular Kannada professor, a fearless public intellectual and an advocate of primacy of Kannada and Karnataka.
Kalaburgi taught at the famous Karnataka university Dharwad for almost 30 years. He guided several research students in their PhD programme.
He later served as the vice chancellor of Kannada university at Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara empire.
He had also presided over the prestigious All India Kannada Literary Conference held at Dharmasthala.
Kalaburgi had produced over 400 research papers over the past 50 years. He had authored over 50 books.
A plain speaking Kalaburgi was a critic of the right wing thinking and politics.
His comments on certain customs in the Hinduism had led to a furore several times.
Kalaburgi was a fearless public intellectual. He never minced his words. He always spoke with clarity. He was not afraid of anyone or anything.
He had always opposed the right wing politics. Took on many religious heads and questioned several customs and beliefs which he thought superstitious or exploitative.
He was a strong supporter of proposed anti superstitions bill.
Some of his public comments were too strong. He once said that there was nothing wrong in urinating on the idols of Hindu gods and goddesses. He had even questioned the Bhagavad Gita.
These things made him an enemy of several people.
We really don't know who murdered him and for what.
It is too early to come to a conclusion. Some anti-right wingers are already blaming the right wing fringe elements for this dastardly incident.
Some are comparing this incidents with the murder of rationalists Dhabholkar and Pansare in neighbouring Maharashtra.
What happened?
An early morning murder shook peaceful city of Dharwad in north Karnataka.
Dr MM Kalaburgi, Eminent Kannada scholar, researcher, writer and former vice chancellor of the Kannada university at Hampi was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Dharwad at 6-30 am in the morning.
This incident has shocked Karnataka. The literary circles across the state have expressed shock over the incident.
Dr Kalaburgi was shot dead at his house in Kalyananagara in Dharwad in the morning. He was 78 years old.
According to his wife, somebody rang the bell at 6-30 am. When she opened the doors, gunman asked for her husband saying that he had some personal work with him. When Kalaburgi came to the verandah, the gunman shot at him from point blank range. He died on the spot.
Eye witnesses claim that the murderers escaped on a motorcycle.
Former Chief minister, local MLA and leader of the opposition Jagadish Shettar has described the incident as an Inhuman act. He has demanded the strictest possible action.
The police have launched a probe from all angles.
Kalaburgi's family has ruled out family issues being reasons for the murder of him.
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