Mysore/Mysuru: Contending that freedom of expression is under severe threat during the current BJP Government rule, Opposition Leader and former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah charged the Centre of booking dissenting writers and other personalities under Sedition Laws.

He was speaking at Folk Scholar Prof. H.J. Lakkappa Gowda ‘Nudi Namana’ programme organised under the joint aegis of Mysuru district unit of Karnataka Janapada Parishat and Prof. H.J. Lakkappagowda  Sahityabhimaani Balaga at Veene Seshanna Bhavan in Kuvempunagar here on Saturday.

Observing that no religion seeks anything bad for anyone, Siddharamaiah opined that religion should be there only for the sake of human beings and not the other way around.

Noting that any education which does not teach intellectualism and rationalism is not at all education, he alleged that the BJP Government was stalling the implementation of Karnataka Anti-Superstition Law, which was introduced to eradicate superstitious beliefs among the minds of the people.

Calling Prof. Lakkappa Gowda as an Ajaatashatru, he said that the iconic folk scholar has created a footprint of his own at all places where he worked. Bemoaning that Rs.1 lakh Endowment Fund in the name of Prof. Lakkappa Gowda was not enough, he stressed on the need for enhancing this amount.

Prof. Lakkappa Gowda’s son-in-law Dr. Dinesh, who spoke, said in the past, children used to bring their parents to Jayadeva Hospital for heart problems. But times have changed now, with parents bringing their children with heart health issues, he said  adding changes in lifestyles, food habits and culture was the root problem for such heart ailments.

The  event  also featured a talk on the topic, ‘A recollection of the life and writings of Prof. Lakkappa Gowda.’

Hunsur MLA H.P. Manjunath, Prof. Neelagiri M. Talwar, Writer Manasa, Karnataka Janapada Parishat Chairman Balaji, District President Kyathanhalli H. Prakash and others were present.