Writers, thinkers, students, members of various organisations, and others took out a silent march protesting the murder of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh here on Wednesday.
The protest march began from the residence of slain scholar M.M. Kalburgi and culminated at the Kadapa Maidan grounds. Addressing the protesters, linguist Ganesh Devy stated that there is a resemblance between the killings of Narendra Dabolkar, Govind Pansare, Kalburgi, and Gauri Lankesh. The government has to display its responsibility by nabbing the murderers failing which the writers, social thinkers, and others would be forced to launch an indefinite hunger protest shortly, he said.
Writer Ramjan Dargah termed the killing an effort to strangulate freedom of speech and expression. This murder has proved that criminal forces in the State are more powerful than the government. Such killings are highly condemnable in the land of Basavanna. This is a direct attack on ideology and rational thinking. The criminal forces, if left loose, would pose a serious threat to the democracy and also to the country, he said.
Social activist Sharadha Dabade, writers Malati Pattanshetti, Vinaya Vakkund, Shankar Halgatthi, K.H. Patil, Sanjiv Kulkarni, and others were present.
A total of 15 colleges had declared holiday on Wednesday and the students of these colleges took part in the protest. Members of Dharwad Media Club staged a demonstration near Alur Venkatrao Circle in Dharwad on Tuesday night.
