Gauri Lankesh remembered by supporters on birth anniversary

Several activists and supporters of slain activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh on Monday gathered here to commemorate her 56th birth anniversary as "Gauri Day" after she was shot dead last September.

Along with Lankesh's sister and filmmaker, Kavitha Lankesh, social activists and public figures like actor Prakash Raj, Teesta Satalvad, Irom Sharmila, Jignesh Mevani, Kanhaiya Kumar and others were present at a public gathering here, organised by the Gauri Memorial Trust.

Lankesh, 55, editor of Kannada weekly tabloid "Gauri Lankesh Patrike" was shot dead outside her house in the city's southwest suburb on the night of September 5, sparking outrage and nationwide protests.

The trust was formed after Lankesh's death to support the publication, with eminent activists and journalists like freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy, Satalvad, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai among others as members and trustees.

Stating that she was not much aware of politics prior to Gauri's murder, Kavitha asserted: "Gauri's death was a wake up call that one cannot live in our society, which has turned so dangerous, without knowledge of what is happening around us."

Her murder has given way to many voices in the country that fight against her death, Raj said, speaking on the occasion.

"To those who had celebrated Gauri's death, we have only put her to rest. Her death has turned into many fighting voices," he said.

The speakers insisted that her killers be caught at the earliest.

--IANS

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