Journalists, activists stage protest against murder of Gauri Lankesh in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder, which is being seen by many as fourth instance of silencing a voice of dissent in the country after the assassination of MM Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, has triggered protests in Hyderabad. For the rights activists in Hyderabad, Gauri Lankesh, is known for her support to University of Hyderabad reserach scholar Rohith Vemula suicide in Karnataka. On Wednesday, the anger of journalists and activists over the demise of the editor of a Kannada weekly magazine, was visible in three protests that took place outside Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Baghlingampally and Jagjivan Ram Statue in Basheerbagh. 

The protests saw the participation of organisations like National Alliance of Journalists, Telangana Working Journalists Federation, Hyderabad Union of Journalists and All India Democratic Womens’ Association and journalists from English and Telugu dailies. Srikant Karan, a PhD scholar from UoH regarded Lankesh’s death as shocking.“Two months after Rohith committed suicide in 2016, I had attended a forum in Bengaluru. There, I met Gauri for the first time. It will not be wrong to call her as one of Karnataka’s leading faces of the Justice for Rohith movement. She was a fearless supporter of Dalit movement. She extensively wrote and spoke on all controversial issues,” he said. 

The UoH too would be holding a candle light vigil to protest the killing. “We will hold a candlelight vigil to condemn the murder. It is high time people participate to condemn the dirty politics of BJP and Hindutva forces which has gone to the extent of claiming lives,” said Munna Sannaki, president of Ambedkar Students Association at UoH. 

The convener of Telangana Democratic Front Chikkud Prabhakar, an activist said, “Gauri had complained to Bengaluru police about receiving threat calls yet no action was taken. A special investigative team should be formed to probe her death.”  In the 90’s, Gauri had also worked with a leading broadcast news channel in Delhi and many journalists there have come forth to pay tribute to the courage shown by her.