Bangalore(DH):Eminent Kannada writers including Dr K Marulasiddappa, Prof S G Siddaramaiah, G K Govinda Rao, Lakshminarayan Nagawara, Mavalli Shankar, Vasundhara Bhopathy, Vijayamma, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Dinesh Aminmattu and actor Jayamala paid a visit to Jnanpith awardee Prof U R Ananthamurthy’s residence here on Thursday May 29.

They expressed their support to him as he was targeted on the online social media for his controversial remarks against Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, after BJP’s victory.

A few months ago, Ananthamurthy had stated that he would not like to live in India if Narendra Modi became prime minister. Following outrage by a section of society, he issued a clarification, saying he did not state that he did not want to stay in India if Narendra Modi became the prime minister, but only said that he did not want to stay in an India, as conceived by Modi.

He had even received threatening calls from anti-social elements, following which the City police had to provided security to his house.

They also held a symbolic protest outside Ananthamurthy’s residence. They said people belonging to the RSS and BJP were indulging in such acts to stop those who spoke against Modi and his ideology. They have decided to send Ananthamurthy also out of the country, they said.