The sixth edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival opened in the city remembering journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh who was murdered outside her home on September 5.
Poets read out works by writers and activists from across the country in the honour of Ms. Lankesh, apart from reading excerpts of Ms. Lankesh’s own writings, including her editorials. The artistic presentation was curated by journalist Ammu Joseph.
Indira Lankesh, who also participated in the festival, broke down as she spoke about her daughter.
Book stalls saw a good crowd on the first day of Bangalore Literature Festival on Saturday.
“Gauri was my elder daughter and was like a mother to me in many aspects. She had never intended to hurt anybody. I am still waiting to know who killed her and why,” she said.
Historian Ramachandra Guha came down heavily on the criminalisation of dissent in the country.
“Today’s jingoistic nationalism believes in one religion, language and language which is perfect. It seeks to treat people of other faiths as second class citizens. Anybody who criticises is being branded anti-national. Violence is one of the main traits of jingoistic nationalism, leading to killings of people like Gauri Lankesh, M.M. Kalburgi and others, who refuse to accept this vision,” he said.
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