Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and Malleshappa KalburgiWho killed Malleshappa Kalburgi? We do not have any clue yet. We do not even know who killed Dr Narendra Dabholkar in Pune two years ago. So is the case with Govind Pansare, the sage-like communist who was gunned down in Kolhapur in February this year.
The list of these murders would not be complete without a mention to a ritualistic suicide. “Author Perumal Murugan is dead,” Tamil writer Perumal Murugan declared earlier this year when a large crowd opposed to his novel “Mathorubhagan” by unleashing casteist attacks.
All these people belonged to the realm of thought. We have reached a point where we do not even have the space to think. Pansare was a member of the CPI but he created enemies for his intellectual stands.
He negated the glorification of Nathuram Godse and the portrayal of Sivaji as a protector of Hinduism and a punisher of Islam with logic and historical facts. We cannot say if he paid the price with his life because his killers have not been caught.
Dabholkar was always a rationalist. He opposed social and religious superstitions – through his speech and writings. Murugan has not done anything other than mentioning a ritual among a particular caste in Tamil Nadu in one or two pages in his novel.
Kalburgi is the latest in a line of people eliminated for thinking and peacefully writing or speaking. He was a great scholar of Kannada literature. He was a popular orator in the league of Sukumar Azhikode. His greatest contribution was the study about “vachanas” of 12th century philosopher Basava. “Vachanas” are maxims about routine rituals and day-to-day activities.
Basava’s ideas caused a social transformation in Karnataka. His followers are known as Lingayats. They are a prominent community in the state by forming 14 percent of the population. Most of the chief ministers of Karnataka belonged to the Lingayat community.
Kalburgi interpreted Basava in a broad and liberal way. He once said Lingayats were not even Hindus. This provoked the community’s conservative leadership and Hindutva politicians. Kalburgi’s life was under threat for his stand against religious superstitions. We do not know who killed him but extremist Hindutva organisations were celebrating his death on social media.
Diverging points of view in India used to fight through debates, bloodless and rule-bound. Sankaracharya toppled the Buddhist domination in north India through this method.
The current murders are the precautionary measures of those who think their extremist faith is in danger at the slightest challenge. (The author is a celebrated writer in Malayalam)
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