BENGALURU: A government college lecturer who had received death threats for a post on the Chandrayaan-3 launch has received support from several civil society groups, including Bahutva Kannada.
The lecturer, Hulikunte Murthy, working at the Government PU College in Malleswaram, had posted on the Chandrayaan-3 launch, implying that the mission would fail like Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. In the now-deleted post, he had allegedly poked fun at ISRO scientists for visiting a temple with a model of the Chandrayaan-3.
Following the post, the lecturer had been allegedly subjected to online harassment, with many threatening him with death and physical assault, apart from casteist slurs. The issue had also been brought to the fore by former education minister S Suresh Kumar demanding action against the lecturer.
A complaint was filed by Murthy following death threats against his family, after which nearly 30 people were booked by the Kamakshipalya police under various sections. Murthy gained support of civil society groups for getting harassment and attacks on caste and reservations, as well as intolerance against criticism against ISRO.
“The attacks against Murthy also affect those who avail reservation. It shows that after 75 years of Independence, caste continues to divide people. There is also a lack of scientific temper, rationality and humanity in these posts,” they said.