Renowned journalist P Sainath returns Basavashree Award conferred to him by Shri Murugha Mutt
Says returning award in solidarity with survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Chief Pontiff of Mutt
Bengaluru: Senior Journalist and Founder-Editor of People’s Archive of Rural India, P Sainath on Friday returned his Basavashree Award conferred to him by the Shir Murugha Mutt in Chitradurga.
In an official statement, Sainath said that he was returning the award in solidarity with the minor girls who have alleged that they were sexually abused by the Chief Pontiff of the Mutt Shri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru.
The Chief Pontiff is facing charges under the POCSO Act after two high school students approached an NGO and explained their ordeal leading to the NGO filing a police complaint against the pontiff.
“No words are strong enough to condemn any such offences against children. In solidarity with the survivors and with the cause of Justice in this case, I hereby return the Basavashree award (and the Rs. 5 lakhs prize money that came with it, by cheque) conferred on me by the Math in 2017.” Sainath said in his statement.
“I would like to record my appreciation of the efforts of the Mysuru-based NGO "OdaNadi" to bring the awful incidents to light and their decades-long fight against social evils. And I appeal to the Karnataka government to pursue the investigation into the scandal vigorously and not allow that to be compromised on any grounds whatsoever.” He further added.
Shri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru was arrested by the cops on Wednesday evening in connection with the case, seven days after the complaint was filed against him. On Friday, the court sent him to police custody till September 5.
He was produced on Friday in a local court, where the police sought five days' custody.
The seer wrapped himself in a white cloth around his saffron attire and was taken in a wheelchair to the court.
Thick security cover was given all over the place right from the hospital, where he was taken after he complained of chest pain, to the court with barricades on key roads along the way.
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Three of family killed as car overturns in Mandya
Mandya (PTI): Three members of a family, two of them women, were killed when the car they were travelling in overturned and fell into a ditch on Sunday, police said.
The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a bridge on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru National Highway at Nagamangala in Mandya district, police added.
The deceased were identified as Chandregowda (62) and Sarojamma (57), both residents of Chikkamagaluru. They were returning to their hometown when the accident occurred, police sources said.
In another incident near Agaralinganna Doddi in Maddur taluk, a private bus overturned on a service road, injuring more than 30 people. Locals helped rescue the passengers after the accident.
The passengers were travelling to Bengaluru after visiting the Shimsha Maramma temple in Malavalli. The injured were taken to hospitals in Mandya and Maddur for treatment.
