Calling Gauri Lankesh straight-forward person and a fearless journalist, noted writer Vaidehi said, Gauri Lankesh could not tolerate certain incidents and she wrote against it. “Efforts are being made to foster a culture of silence [Kai kat, bayi much samskruti]. But by killing someone you cannot silence anyone. If one goes, ten will take their place. The extremists should realize this,” she said.
People had divergent views on various issues. They have their own principles. One cannot shape their views to the liking of others, she said. “Gauri expressed her thoughts through words. Those who were opposed to her should have fought her through words. But these cowards could not fight her through words,” she said.
Asking the government to take immediate steps to arrest the assailants of the rationalist M.M. Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh, Ms. Vaidehi said, “If the investigations in cases continue endlessly, then people will loose faith in democracy. If Gauri’s martyrdom should realize its meaning, her assailants should be arrested.”
