There has been widespread resentment and outrage throughout the country over the dastardly killing of the intrepid journalist Gauri Lankesh, the Editor of Lankesh Patrike of Bengaluru. The President of the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) has already demanded for the enquiry into her death as nothing is clear whether she was killed by right wing forces or ultra-left Naxalites as was also on their hit list. Today a demonstration and dharna led by the IFWJ President Shri B.V. Mallikarjunaiah was organised in Bengaluru. The President of the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists Shri N. Raju also joined him along with hundreds of journalists to condemn cowardly murder of Ms.Gauri. The demonstration converged at the Press Club where all speakers condoled her death.
Similar demonstrations and dharnas were organised by the state units of the IFWJ in various parts of the country. In Lucknow, a Dharna was staged at the feet of Gandhi statue. The IFWJ Vice-President Shri Hemant Tiwari, Secretary Shri Siddharth Kalhans, Shri Bhaskar Dube, Shri Rajesh Mishra, Shri Utkarsh Sinha, Mohd. Kamran and others expressed concern over the growing intolerance and violence in the society.
Rajasthan Working Journalists Union is tomorrow organizing a candle march in Jaipur, which will be led by IFWJ Vice-President Shri Vashisth Kumar Sharma, Working Committee member, Shri Ish Madhu Talwar and President of the Rajasthan Working Journalists Union, Shri Harish Gupta.
IFWJ Secretary (South) Shri K. Asudhualla along with the CUJ President Sri Anbu organised a massive march on the streets of Chennai shouting slogans against the killers of Gauri Lankesh, who was gunned down goondas in the capital town of Karnataka.
President of the Chhattisgarh Journalists Union, Shri Ishwar Dubey and the Working Committee member, Shri Shankar Pandey and the IFWJ Secretary, Shri Sanjay Dubey have expressed great concern over the vulnerability of the journalists because of the poor law and order.
The President of the State Union of Working Journalists (Uttarakhand), Shri Shankar Dutt Sharma and the Convenor of Madhya Bharat Working Journalists Union Shri Awadhesh Bhargav have demanded that an independent enquiry must be conducted to bring the culprits to the book.
IFWJ Vice-Presidents – Shri K. M. Jha and Shri Bibhuti Bhusan Kar, who is also the President of the Utkal Journalists Association (UJA) have condoled the tragic end of Ms. Gauri Lankesh and have asked the State government to get it thoroughly probed.
The President of Telangana Union of Journalists, Shri Kappara Prasada Rao, the IFWJ Working Committee member, Shri Wilson Prabhakar Rao and the President of Rayalaseema-Andhra Union of Working Journalists, Shri M. Gopal Reddy have said that the violence must be curbed to ensure that the freedom of speech and expression does not get throttled.
The IFWJ Vice-President, Shri Keshab Kalita and the Secretary, Ms. Gitika Talukdar and the General Secretary of the Assam Union of Working Journalists, Shri Tutumoni Phukkan have demanded that the government must ensure that criminals are given the stringent punishment for this heinous crime.
The President of the Bihar Men’s Journalists Unions, Shri S, N. Shyam and the General Secretary, Shri Sudhanshu Kumar Satish have said in a statement that in Bihar the journalists have to face the wrath of the goondas and the government as well. They have asked the Central and State Government to not only give the compensation but must ensure that the family members of such journalists were not harassed.
IFWJ Secretary Rehmatullah Rounyal and the President of the J&K Working Journalists Union have strongly condemned the attack on the freedom of speech and expression. They have hoped that journalists would have the stealy resolve to relentlessly fight for the preservation of their most valuable right of freedom of speech and expression.
In New Delhi IFWJ secretary General Parmanand Pandey and the Treasurer, Shri Rinku Yadav led the protest march. In Haryana the IFWJ Secretary, Shri Randeep Ghangas has condemned the killing and has said that the journalists are facing grave challenges as every trick of the trade is adopted by the anti-social elements to brow beat them. Similar reports are pouring in from other states. IFWJ has decided to continue the protest till assailants are brought to book.
Protests in MGAHV University wardha against Gauri Lankesh’s Muder गौरी लंकेश हत्याकांड के खिलाफ हिंदी विश्वविद्यालय वर्धा में कैंडल मार्च और प्रतिरोध सभा का आयोजन
सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता, आजाद विचार, स्वछंद निर्भीक लिखने और बोलने वाली ‘लंकेश पत्रिके’ की संपादक कन्नड़ भाषा की वरिष्ठ पत्रकार ‘गौरी लंकेश’ की हत्या मंगलवार को अज्ञात हमलावरों ने उनके निवास के बहार गोली मारकर कर दी गई। एक पत्रकार के तौर पर गौरी लंकेश दक्षिणपंथी राजनीति को लेकर आलोचनात्मक रुख रखती थीं। वे सीधे सरकार से तीखे सवाल पूछती थीं। ये सवाल सिर्फ वर्तमान सरकार से ही नहीं बल्कि इससे पूर्व की सरकारों से भी वे तीखे सवाल किया करती रही थी। गौरी लगातार हिंदुत्ववादी गुंडों और उनसे जुड़े अन्य संगठन के विरुद्ध लिखती रही थीं। यह नहीं है कि वे बीजेपी और उसके सहयोगी दलों के विरुद्ध ही लिख रही थीं बल्कि अन्य सरकारों की दोगली चरित्र को भी पर्दाफास कर रही थीं।
दक्षिणपंथी संकीर्ण सोच का भी वे पर्दाफाश कर रही थीं। गौरी लंकेश की हत्या मात्र गौरी लंकेश की हत्या नहीं है बल्कि यह अभिव्यक्ति के आजादी की हत्या है, लोकतंत्र के चौथे स्तम्भ की हत्या है। इस हत्या के माध्यम से डर पैदा करने की कोशिश की जा रही है ताकि कोई और सरकार से सवाल कोई न पूछे सके तथा दक्षिणपंथी संकीर्ण सोच पर सवाल न खड़ा करे। इस तरह की यह पहली हत्या नहीं है बल्कि इससे पहले भी श्रृंखलाबद्ध हत्याएं हुईं हैं। इस श्रृंखला में पनसारे, दाभोलकर और कलबुर्गी भी शामिल हैं। आश्चर्य की बात है कि ऐसी हत्यायों में अब तक किसी भी हत्यारे की गिरफ्तारी नहीं हो पाई है। ऐसी हत्यायों के विरुद्ध खड़ा होना और उनके लिये न्याय सुनिश्चित करवाना सभी न्याय पसन्द लोगों की जिम्मेदारी है।
इस निर्मम हत्या के विरोध में महात्मा गाँधी अंतरराष्ट्रीय हिंदी विश्वविद्यालय, वर्धा में विद्यार्थियों ने कैंडल मार्च और प्रतिरोध सभा रखी। विश्वविद्यालय के तमाम शिक्षक, प्रगतिशील विद्यार्थी और आइसा विद्यार्थी संगठन सांगठनिक रूप से शामिल हो अपना विरोध प्रकट किया। प्रतिरोध सभा मे अपनी बात रखते हुए प्रोफेसर डॉ.अमरेंद्र ने कहा कि गौरी लंकेश जैसी प्रखर पत्रकारों की सुरक्षा करना हमारी सरकारों की जिम्मेदारी है जिसमे वह असफल साबित हुई है। सभी शिक्षकों और विद्यार्थियों ने गौरी लंकेश की हत्या की निंदा की और रोष प्रकट कर सरकार से मांग की है कि हत्यारों को शीघ्र पकड़ उसे कड़ी से कड़ी सजा दी जाये जिससे इस घटना की पुनःवृति न हो और समाज में एक न्यायिक सौहार्द बना रहे।
IIMCAA Demands Court Monitored SIT Probe into Gauri Lankesh Murder
IIMC Alumni Association is shocked at the brutal murder of senior alumna and journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru. We strongly condemn the use of violence as an arm to suppress the freedom of expression of a citizen. Gauri Lankesh, known for her fearless journalism and uncompromising stand on free speech, will live in our memories forever. Her murder is an attempt to silence the voice of dissent. IIMC Alumni Association demands that the Karnataka Government take prompt actions to bring the culprits to justice for Gauri along with court monitored SIT probe into the killing.
