Gauri Lankesh, a critic, writer, journalist, activist and the editor of Lankesh Patrika’s fate was decided by two unidentified bikers on 5 Sep, who shot her dead right in front of the doors of her own house.
The journalist was an active critic of the right-wing Hindu extremism and often condemned the caste system followed in India. For her fearless criticism and writing, Gauri was considered to be a writer who always criticised Hindutva politics. The 55-year journalist was shot seven times at close range, but four bullets missed the mark at her doorstep after she had stepped out of her car and opened the gates to her home at around 8 pm. As soon as the neighbours heard the sound they came out and saw Gauri fallen on the ground in a puddle of blood.
During the investigation, few of the neighbours said that they had seen 2 men on the bike going up and down the lane several times. They came out of their houses hearing the sound thinking it to be some fire cracker. None of them saw the men who shot her dead.
The death of Gauri Lankseh speaks a lot about the freedom of speech and the right to express in India. This is not the first time a journalist or a person speaking against the orthodox and superstitious beliefs of the society is killed or brutally murdered. Her murder instantly brought about a wave of protests and demonstrations from various walks of life academics, journalists, activists, cinema stars and politicians across the nation. While on one hand, people were seeking for justice on her murder, on the other few were shamelessly celebrating her death over the social media.
Gauri, daughter of famous poet-turned-journalist P Lankesh, was the editor of ‘ Gauri Lankesh Patrike’, a weekly Kannada tabloid and was an activist who throughout her life, fought and wrote for what she believed in. She often opposed the Sangh organizations and communal violence in the country. Gauri in the past had also received many threats and warning against her fearless writing and expression but she never paid any heed to them. KL Ashok of the Karnataka-based Komu Souharda Vedike (Communal Harmony Forum), who worked closely with Lankesh had said that there “was no doubt that Lankesh’s killing was part of a larger conspiracy to kill rationalist ideas. Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and now Gauri Lankesh. They were all rationalist thinkers, and that is why they have been murdered.”
Yes, this is not the first time a fearless journalist has been shot dead, this incident reminds of few of the tragedies that took place a few years back and still remains to be unsolved. Just like Gauri Lankesh, in 2015, Left ideologue and Kannada author Prof MM Kalburgi was shot dead in a similar manner by an unidentified gunman at the doorstep of his home. Two years later, his killers remain unidentified, no arrest has been made in the case. was known for being a progressive voice within the politically-dominant Lingayat caste group in Karnataka. He was also openly critical of the superstitions in Hinduism and was accused by Hindutva groups of hurting religious sentiments.
When Kalburgi was killed, the case was initially taken up by the Hubli-Dharwad police and later passed on to the state’s Crime Investigation Department. In Sep 2015, Chief Minister Sidramiah had announced a prize of Rs 5 lakh whoever identified and gave any information about the rough sketched that the agency was able to make of the possible murders after the investigations. However, the case remains in the files with layers of dust accumulating on them and the murders roaming about freely having the guts to perform a similar crime yet again.
In 2013 also a similar incident had occurred in Maharashtra when a renowned rationalist and a medical doctor, Narendra Dabholkar was shot in cold blood in Pune on August 20, by two unidentified gunmen. As the founder-president of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, an anti-superstition advocacy group, Dabholkar openly challenged and spoke against the self-proclaimed godmen and tantric healers in the country, and spent several years pushing for a law against black magic and superstition. Presumably, his fate too was decided by the so called Hindu followers who thought that Dabholkar’s ideology and strong voice will diminish their beliefs and religion.
After his case was handed over to the CBI for further investigation, after which the agency had filed charge-sheet against Virendra Tawade, a surgeon and a member of the Right-Wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, as the suspected culprit. Interrogations of Tawade led the police to the names of two other suspects Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar who belong to the Janjagruti Samiti’s parent body, the Sanatan Sanstha. The duo are suspected to be the main men who killed Dabholkar, however, they have not yet been arrested and their whereabouts are still unknown o the CBI as well as the police.
A rationalist, author and Left-wing politician Govind Pansare like Dabholkar was attacked by two unidentified gunmen on his way back from a morning walk in Kolhapur, on February 16, 2015. He died of bullet wounds four days later, on February 20. He too walking in the footsteps of Dabholkar supported his cause and spoke against the practice of superstitious beliefs and black magic. He always promoted the idea of inter caste marriage. With not much information about the case, the police had announced a price of Rs 50,000 for anyone who came forward with any information regarding the case, which was within a months time was raised to Rs 25 Lakh. But till date, nothing much seems to be accomplished in the case except for a few names and arrest warrants looking for the culprits.
The murder of Gauri Lankesh in many ways is similar to the brutal murders mentioned above. Like the above cases, even she was a rationalist thinker who strongly opposed the practice of orthodox beliefs and condemned the caste system. She was also like the rest was brutally shot dead by unidentified two bikers from a very close point. The forensic report of the Gauri murder case with a preliminary analysis of the empty cartridges revealing that a country made 7.65 mm pistol was used – the same kind that was used to kill M.M. Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar.
Is this not clear indication enough about the motives behind these murders. The voice speaking against the Hindutva politics is being suppressed by hook or by crook? After the murder of Gauri Lankesh though the police seem to be tight lipped hiding behind the excuse of the investigation, those close to her and her fraternity strongly believe that Gauri paid the price for her dissent. According to the Press Club of India, “a fearless and independent journalist who gave voice to many causes and always stood up for justice has been shot dead in the most brutal manner in order to silence her voice.” While the editors guild of India demanded justice for Lankesh in a tweet expressing its grief and fear of losing the freedom of speech it said, The Editors Guild of India is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the murder of Gauri Lankesh, senior journalist, and editor, Lankesh Patrika. Gauri Lamkesh was a known critic of the Central government on key issues and ad fearlessly expressed her views in the news paper 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. The editor’s guild of India demands that the Karnataka government acts with alacrity to bring the culprits to justice apart from instituting a judicial probe into the killing.
Assuming that Lankesh was killed by the right-wing forces and the motive behind the murder being the intolerance that aims to crush dissent. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has alleged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for creating such an environment in the country that people are being murdered for speaking fearlessly and expressing their views.
Sometimes the PM speaks under pressure but the entire idea is to crush dissent and this is resulting in a very serious problem in India
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 6, 2017
Soon after the demise of the senior editor, the entire social media was filled with abusive words and posts about Gauri. Few of them who posted their shameless thoughts on the media is even followed by the honorable prime minister Narendra Modi. While few posted abusive words against the writer and few expressed happiness on her death that she got what she deserved.
In recent days, Gauri Lankesh was actively involved in bringing many persons involved with the Naxal movement in Karnataka back into the mainstream with the cooperation of the Karnataka government where she enjoyed a good rapport with chief minister Siddaramaiah. In November 2016, Lankesh was convicted of criminal defamation for an article that she had published in 2008. BJP MP Prahlad Joshi and Umesh Dhusi had raised objections against the piece, which resulted in a six-month sentence and fine for Gauri Lankesh. She had received bail on the same day.
Gauri Lankesh who had always been a fearless writer and speaker concerned about the state of freedom of expression in the country had once in her tweet expressed that Why do I feel that some of ‘us’ are fighting between ourselves? we all know our “biggest enemy”. can we all please concentrate on that? Ok some of us commit mistakes like sharing fake posts. let us warn each other then. and not try to expose each other. peace… comrades.”
KL Ashok of the Karnataka a close colleague of Lankesh on her murder had said that “This is not the death of a journalist, but the death of democracy and constitutional values. She had raised her voice against communal violence with us and we know that all our lives are in danger. But we did not expect this.”
Chief Minister Sidrammiah has ordered a special investigation team to probe the murder. The Union home ministry has, meanwhile, sought a report from the Karnataka government on the murder in two days. “The three special teams set up to crack the case are on the lookout for the suspected assailants. We are taking the movements of people and vehicles at check posts and inter-state borders,” said deputy commissioner of police (West) M N Anucheth.
The freedom of speech and the right to express is being murdered every day. It is high time now that the murders are put behind the bars and democracy is given the right to breathe with the fear of being brutally murdered.