Mysuru : Convener of Hindu Jagaran Vedike’s State unit Jagadish Karanth on Sunday asserted that researcher Dr M M Kalburgi had to pay with his life for his derogatory remarks on Hindu religion, in the name of freedom of expression.

Addressing the gathering during the launch of mass immersion of Ganesha idols organised by Samoohika Vinayaka Visarjana Mandali near Kote Anjaneya Swamy temple on Palace premises, Karanth said, however, said he strongly opposed the killing of Kalburgi. His comment on idol worship might have led to his killing, Karanth said.

Karanth sarcastically said, “Such so-called rationalists, like Kalburgi and K S Bhagwan, should not be shot at as they may be considered as martyrs’.

There are many such so-called rationalists in Mysuru who target only particular community and ignore similar practices in other communities. Though they criticise animal sacrifice, but they are mum against cattle slaughter, he observed.

Karanth also demanded the State government to disclose the benchmarks to be followed in classifying beliefs and misbeliefs, before planning to introduce the proposed bill against superstition. It is an attempt to destroy Hindu religion, he felt. Karanth exhorted the State government to include all minorities irrespective of religion under the ambit of the bill.