Express News Service
BENGALURU: The killing of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh took the social media by storm with people expressing condolences, angst and wrath. Riddled with posts against the right wing, Gauri’s profile on Twitter had a picture of her along with Kanhaiya Kumar in the background. Chief minister Siddaramaiah took to Twitter and said, “Absolutely shocked to learn about the murder of renowned journalist Gauri Lankesh. I have no words to condemn this heinous crime.”
KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted, “Gauri Lankesh shocking murder. A progressive, free thinking journalist, who always fought for the rights of poor & weak. A terrible tragedy.”
Social media also drew parallels to the death of other activists including Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi who were murdered in similar fashion. “Another liberal, rational voice snuffed out by “unidentified assailants”. Gauri Lankesh RIP. Dabholkar, Kalburgi, Pansare. Who killed them?” wrote actor Renuka Shahane.
Yogendra Yadav, national president, Swaraj India, tweeted, “ Pansare, Kalburgi and now Gauri Lankesh! Same pattern: shot by masked men Same motive: Silence voices of dissent? Same forces?”Rana Ayyub, author of Gujarat Files, wrote, “My friend Gauri Lankesh who recently published the kannada edition of Gujarat Files shot dead. Cowards, bigots. You disgusting people.”Meanwhile, senior advocate, Prashanth Bhushan said, “Shocking & tragic! Brave journalist Gauri Lankesh who exposed the BJP has been shot dead in her home in Bangalore!” “Shocking and blood curdling to hear about the murder of Gauri Lankesh. These monstrous criminals must be nailed n dealt with sternly” Biocon chairman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said.
