Bengaluru, Sept 5: On the first anniversary of the martyrdom of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, who was gunned by saffron extremists in front of her house this day a year ago, her friends and activists from across the country gathered in Bengaluru on for the ‘Freedom of Expression’ convention to highlight the futility of attempts to silence the voice of dissent.
“Gauri Lankesh has today become a symbol, a metaphor for democratic struggle against fascism,” said civil rights activist Swami Agnivesh, speaking at the event to mark her first death anniversary.
Nyaya Patha , a Kannada weekly tabloid, a revival of the Gauri Lankesh Patrike, was released at the event by Siddharth Varadarajan, editor, thewire.in. A ‘memorial pen’ with Gauri’s photo and signature was also released.
Earlier in the day, activists petitioned Governor Vajubhai Vala to recommend a ban on Sanatan Sanstha and its affiliates as ‘there is mounting evidence that the killers of the four thinkers were ideologically and organisationally guided by these organisations’.
The convention turned into a platform for calls to ‘reclaim Hinduism from Hindutva’, and to defeat ‘the fascist BJP’ and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Senior political leader A.K. Subbaiah said, “Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, M.M. Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh were great Hindus, thinking of dharma and reforms. They were all killed by Hindutvavadis, as it has now been established.”
Student leader Kanhaiya Kumar said the choice was ‘between the saffron of Swami Agnivesh and the saffron of Yogi Adityanath’.
Kanhaiya Kumar, Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mewani and Umar Khalid, all of whom Gauri Lankesh called her ‘adopted sons’, gave a call to defeat the BJP in the 2019 polls. “All progressive forces must unite and defeat the BJP electorally as well. That will be the real shradhanjali to Gauri Lankesh,” said Mr. Mewani.
Actor Prakash Rai, who started the Just Asking Foundation, posing questions after the death of his friend Gauri sounded a word of caution.
“The investigation now indicates that they did not have any personal hatred towards Gauri. They were scared of voices like Gauri. It is now time to take the fight beyond Gauri. We should today protect Hinduism from them. They are branding us anti-Hindu and Urban Naxals to ensure people are biased against us. They are becoming desperate and, at this stage, they are very dangerous. We should be careful in what we speak to ensure we don’t play into their hands,” he said.
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