Protests Erupt Across the Country Against Murder of Gauri Lankesh

The country is outraged by the brutal murder of prominent journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh. This attack is a continuation of the right-wing agenda to silence the voice of dissent. The assassins of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi have not yet been brought to book. Across the country, journalists, writers, activists, students and citizens of conscience have condemned this new instance of a political assassination. Protests are taking place across the country.

Here is a statement by Communist Party of India Marxist:

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemns the cold-blooded murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, outside her home in Bengaluru yesterday.

This killing, fits into a by now familiar pattern of eliminating voices that dare to speak out against the current climate of hate and intolerance by the RSS/BJP. The killings of Govind Pansare, Dabholkar, Kalburgi and now Gauri Lankesh – are all interconnected. All of them were vociferous in their opposition to superstition, obscurantism and the perpetuation of the communal agenda by the rightwing Hindutva forces.

The Polit Bureau demands of the Karnataka government to immediately identify and arrest the culprits.

It calls upon the Left and democratic forces to lodge a strong protest against this heinous murder and against the growing intolerance and hatred in the country. The Statement can be read here.

Condemning the murder of the journalist, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said it was an attempt to stifle reason and to silence those holding contrarian views. ”Gauri a rationalist silenced by gunshots. Her murder is an attempt to stifle reason, to silence those holding contrarian views. Tragic,” Mr Sibal said in a tweet.

The Editors Guild of India condemned the murder of senior journalist and editor Gauri Lankesh. “Gauri Lankesh was a known critic of the Central government on key issues and had fearlessly expressed her views in the newspaper she edited as well as in other forums. Her killing is an ominous portent for dissent in democracy and a brutal assault on the freedom of the press,” a statement released by the Guild said.

The CITU has also strongly condemned the ghastly murder of the write, Gauri Lankesh.  The statement reads:

“Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) strongly condemns the brutal murder of noted journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh in front of her residence in Bengaluru yesterday. She was a critic of the communal forces of RSS.

This murder is the latest in the series of murders of rationalists like Govind Pansare, Narendra Dhabolkar and M.M. Kalburgi by these communal divisive forces to create terror against criticism of the Hindutva communal forces and among minorities.

CITU conveys its condolences to her family and colleagues. CITU demands of the Government of Karnataka to immediately arrest the culprits and unearth the conspiracy to silence the voices of reason. 

CITU calls upon its members and the working class of the country to protest against this heinous crime and attack on secularism.”