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Modi and BJP out to silence voice of dissent : Rahul Gandhi on Lankesh murder

by India Blooms News Service 05 Sep 2017, 11:35 pm

Bengaluru/New Delhi, Sep 6 (IBNS) : In an inevitable political fallout of the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders on Wednesday launched a virulent attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while different organisations in major metros announced plans to hit the street in protest.

Accusing Modi and his party, the BJP, of trying to silence any voice of dissent, Gandhi said it is "very sad that a journalist against fanaticism was killed."

"People say that the Prime Minister  is quiet. The point is the entire ideology is to silence voices," the Congress vice-president  told reporters.

 "Sometimes, under pressure, the Prime Minister  makes statements. But the entire ideology is this."

"The prime minister is a skilled Hindutva politician. Whatever he says has two meanings," Gandhi said, ading non-violence is the history of the nation and murder can not be justified.

Gandhi said he had spoken to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the General Secretary of the AICC on the issue. " The chief minister has said that those responsible would be caught and punished."

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri and Congress leader Sashi Tharoor were among few politicians who reacted to the murder of Lankesh, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants at her Bengaluru home on Tuesday evening.

 "The Voices they want to silence will only get louder," Yechuri tweeted.

 Tharoor's twitter page said : Saddened by the murder of #GauriLankesh. India wasn't supposed to be a country where journalists are silenced by bullets. Her voice rings on."

In another tweet Tharoor claimed that  Lankesh was killed for peaking things "some people did not like to hear."

JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar said Gauri Lankesh was a "fearless" fighter against hate. "Gauri Lankesh taught me to speak truth to power, She was fearless in her fight against hate. We resolve to carry on her struggle."

Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani condemned the killing o and hoped that there would be a speedy investigation and justice delivered.

"Condemn killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. Hope speedy investigation is conducted and justice delivered. Condolences to the family," the minister said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said a SIT headed by a  IG-level officer will investigate the journalists's murder.

"We'll set up an SIT headed by an IG-level officer. The investigating officer will be an SP," said the chief minister.

"We will find her killers. The police has set up roadblocks at various places. Checkpoints around Bengaluru are being monitored," Siddaramaiah said.