[ad_1]
Kannada lecturer and Dalit activist Hulikunte Murthy on social media allegedly mocking the ‘Chandrayaan-3 mission’ has gotten him and his family into trouble with him and his family receiving threats and personal insults on social media and politicians seeking action against him.
Murthy, who is currently teaching at PU Government College, Malleswaram, allegedly wrote in a Kannada Facebook post that “Chandrayaan-3 will be a flop”. Using the phrase “Tirupati Nama”, he indicated that the moon mission would fail this time as well. He was commenting on a team of ISRO scientists offering prayers at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh with a scale model of Chandrayaan-3 ahead of its launch last Friday.
The criticism Moorthy faces over his controversial post has left him “heartbroken”. Speaking to The Indian Express, the 42-year-old said, “I am really disturbed by the turn of events. My wife is also disturbed. She learned about the scientific temper. The fact that the scale model of Chandrayaan-3 was transported to a temple by ISRO scientists made me wonder About the scientific temperament of the people behind the project. I wondered metaphorically, “What happens if the mission fails even this time, just like last year. In hindsight, I feel I should have phrased my thoughts differently.”
I have never encountered such controversies. Nor have I allowed my activism to interfere with my professional work. But this controversy bothered me very much. I will continue to teach, cooperate with the department, and pursue my case legally.”
Sectarian abuse, slander and personal attacks on Moorthy and his wife, some even threatening to kill them, prompted the teacher to file a complaint at Kamashipalia Police Station on Tuesday, after which a case was registered under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and related sections of the IPC against seven individuals.
The Bahutva Karnataka Group, a civil rights organization condemned the attack on Moorthy and demanded that the Karnataka government crack down on the miscreants who targeted him and his family with hate speech, casteism and intimidation. In a letter to School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, the group said, “The attacks on Moorthy have caused immense mental anguish to all those who benefit from the reservation. These posts are also a threat to his life. In fact, these posts are an attack on our constitutional values of freedom, dignity and fraternity It shows that even after 75 years of independence, class continues to divide and cause an attack on dignity. These publications also show that there is a complete lack of scientific temperament, rationality and even humanity.”
The group called on the government to draw up a plan to ensure the development of scientific temperament, reason, humanity, and a spirit of inquiry and reform.
Controversy over Moorthy’s position escalated when BJP leader and former Education Minister Suresh Kumar wrote to Bangarappa, expressing concern about the lecturer position. Calling it unsanitary, Murthy also warned against repeating this “irresponsible behaviour”. The government also sent a notice to Murthy on Wednesday seeking clarification on the post.
Kumar said, “If an individual had posted his views on social media in a personal capacity it would have been terminated. But the user states that he is a government official in his account bio. Making fun of the job as a government official is not correct.”
Murthy will submit his response to the school education department on Friday. The Education Minister did not return calls to The Indian Express.
Moorthy, a poet, playwright, writer and teacher, has been working as a Kannada lecturer for the last 15 years, while dabbling in activism and literary works. From Hulikunte village in Doddaballapur, 60 km from Bengaluru, Murthy has worked with Dalit poet Kotiganahalli Ramaiah and journalist Gauri Lankesh, and was awarded a state award – Basavaraj Kattimani Prashasthi – in 2013 for a collection of poetry titled Neeligyana. He has also authored a book on the folk legend and Saint Mantswamy and documented all his writings in a book titled Hoobitta Kannu in 2018.
[ad_2]
