Three months after rationalist scholar MM Kalburgi was shot dead at his house in Dharwad in north Karnataka, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has expressed its sympathy to the scholar’s family.
The Indian Express reported that the organization passed a resolution to offer condolences to Kalburgi’s family during the ‘Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal’ or the national executive meeting held in Ranchi between October 30 and November 1.
RSS north Karnataka joint secretary Sridhar Nadgir, who delivered the letter to Kalburgi's wife Umadevi on October 30, said: "Similar letters were given to the families of (rationalist) Narendra Dabholkar and (activist) Govindrao Pansare, when they were killed."
They also reportedly observed two minutes of silence to mark Kalburgi’s death.
The letter said that the RSS "shares the grief of the bereaved family and prays to the all-merciful to give necessary strength to you all to bear the loss with fortitude. May God give sadgati to the departed soul." It was handed over to Kalburgi’s wife Umadevi.
Attempts to reach out via WhatsApp to Kalburgi’s son, Srivijaya were made as he was in Bengaluru when head of the RSS publicity division in Dharwad, Harshavardhan Sheelavant visited their home in Dharwad.
Shridhar Nadgir said his organisation push CM Siddaramaiah to speed up the probe into the killing of the scholar. He rejected the accusations of involvement of Hindu organisations in the murder of the scholar made by writers, reported Deccan Chronicle.
Nadgir said that since Kalburgi’s family had been away, the condolences had been delayed. "Our baithak in Ranchi ended November 1. We visited Kalburgi’s home a month ago and found that Umadevi was in Bengaluru. She returned only on November 26, so we visited her on Monday," Nadgir said.
Sangh official Sheelavanth said, “We respect all people in society and their thoughts. Someone recently alleged that the RSS is behind Kalburgi’s murder. We do not want the RSS to be dragged in unnecessarily when an investigation is under way. Our demand is that the investigation be expedited to arrest the real culprits.”