Hundreds of senior Kannada writers and progressive activists have gathered in front of Town Hall to condemn the murder of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh. The mood at the protest has been sombre and mournful. Senior Kannada writer Chandrashekhar Patil said, “I am deeply pained at the loss of M.M. Kalburgi who was a classmate and now Gauri, a close associate. I hope the two murders lead to a large people's movement against fascist forces. This is a continuous struggle which we have to keep fighting,” he said.
Another write K. Maralusiddappa said that both murders of Kalburgi and Gauri were definitely not due to any personal enmity and it is clear that it is an execution to settle ideological differences.
Activist K. Neela also came down heavily on the State government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for not nabbing the killers of Kalburgi. “We pleaded you for two years to nab the killers of Kalburgi. But nothing happened. If Kalburgi’s killers were nabbed, Gauri Lankesh would have been alive today. The government should take immediate measures and nab the killers to prevent further silencing of voices,” she said.
