Bengaluru/Kochi, Agency
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has alleged that people associated with the Sangh Parivar were behind the murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Kannada scholar MM Kalburgi and rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, and expressed confidence that those responsible would be brought to justice within six months.
Addressing the Kerala State Conference of the Muslim Youth League at Marine Drive in Kochi on Sunday, Kharge said the Karnataka government was closely monitoring the investigations and would ensure that the accused were brought to justice.
Referring to the killings of Kalburgi, Lankesh and Dabholkar, Kharge alleged that individuals associated with the Sangh were responsible for the murders.
"Feroz ji, if I'm not mistaken, while speaking, you spoke about MM Kalburgi ji, Gauri Lankesh ji and Dabholkar ji. People from the Sangh killed them. The case is underway. In another six months, I will finish it and put all these people in jail. We are following it up. We will do it," he said.
Kharge was responding to Kerala State Muslim Youth League (MYL) General Secretary PK Firoz's remarks about the murders of Kalburgi, Gauri Lankesh and Narendra Dabholkar.
The minister also alleged that the same people were responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Kharge said the government was committed to pursuing the cases and would not allow any negligence in the investigations.
The remarks have brought renewed attention to the long-pending murder cases, which have witnessed prolonged judicial proceedings.
Kalburgi, a noted scholar and rationalist, was shot dead at his residence in Dharwad in August 2015, while Lankesh was murdered outside her Bengaluru residence in September 2017. Dabholkar was killed in Pune in August 2013.
The investigations into the killings examined alleged links involving networks associated with right-wing extremist ideology. The cases have also witnessed delays in trial proceedings, including the examination of witnesses and legal challenges.
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