Amidst pro-Lankesh slogans, a Ravana Shobha Yatra was taken out by certain Buddhist organisations, including Bharatiya Dalit Panthers, with the motive of conveying the message that Ravana was a great warrior, pandit and tathagat (Buddhist monk) who led a principled life devoting himself to the defence of society's weaker sections and animals. Thus, it was wrong to torch his effigies each year. The organisers warned of an agitation if the practice was not stopped forthwith.