Condemning the threat letter to Nijagunananda Swamy, a Lingyat seer from Nishkal Mantapa Mutt in Belagavi district, and others, Lingayat leaders associated with the Jagathika Lingayat Mahasabha (JLM) demanded immediate action against those who had written it.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Prabhulinga Mahagaonkar, Ravindra Shabadi, R.G. Shetagar, Somanna Nadakatti, and Basavaraj Morbad gave 15-days time to the police to nab the culprits.
“Right-wing extremism has already claimed the lives of great scholars, journalists, intellectuals and activists such as M.M. Kalburgi, Gauri Lankesh, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar. We cannot take risks any more. It appears that the same forces are behind the unanimous letter to Nijagunananda Swamy threatening to kill many social activists, seers, intellectuals, actors and journalists who are critical about right-wing ideology. We also condemn the police inaction as no case has been filed and none has been arrested. If the police fail to nab them within 15 days, we will plan for State-wide agitations,” Mr. Shabadi said. Defending the seer, who is an outspoken critic of right-wing ideology of Hindutva in his public addresses, Mr. Shabadi said that the seer was doing the same thing that Basavanna and other Sharanas (reformers) of the 12th century had done.
