Pune: Several youngsters along with rationalist and leftist leaders came together on Wednesday evening near Sir Parshurambhau College on Tilak Road to condemn the heinous murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening.
Many who were present on Tilak Road held placards announcing ‘I am Gauri Lankesh’ and youngsters announced their resolve to take Gauri’s fight ahead. Meanwhile, Pune Shramik Patrakar Sangh has sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded a CBI inquiry into the murder.
The youngsters said that intolerant voices are drawing strength from the silence of majority and such acts of violence should be outrightly condemned.
Gauri, the 55-year-old Editor of Kannada weekly Lankesh Patrike, was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside her residence on Tuesday evening. Gauri was being trolled on social media platforms and had received many threats and messages filled with hatred.
Social activists, rationalists linked Lankesh’s murder with the murder of Dr NArendra Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi
This was due to her repeated outburst against casteist politics and Hindu extremism.
Many social activists including Vidya Bal, Anwar Rajan, Suniti Su Ra, Manisha Gupte, Neeraj Jain, Lata Bhise and Comrade Ajit Abhyankar voiced their dissent against the killing of Lankesh who was charged for defamation of a Bharatiya Janata Party leader last year.
Feminist and rationalist Vidya Bal expressed her disappointment against the killing of people belonging to leftist ideology starting from Dr Narendra Dabholkar, Comrade Govind Pansare, Professor M M Kalburgi and now, Lankesh. Bal asked how many times people believing in freedom of expression have to take to the streets condemning the killing of rationalist thinkers one after the other.
Social activist Anwar Rajan drew attention to the foul language being used against Gauri on social media platforms and how such language is being supported by many on social media.
Rajan told Sakal Times that this shows how each voice opposing those in power is being muzzled ruthlessly.
Abhyankar said that the rightists have resorted to division of labour to silence each and every voice questioning them.
Abhyankar added that some of them have formed social media cells while others are getting down to the streets to muzzle each and every voice of dissent through violence. He emphasised that every one should come together to oppose those who do not believe in the democratic processes.
