Rights activists, Left groups question Modi's silence on Bukhari's murder

A number of rights organisations and radical Left groups questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on Kashimiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari's murder during their protest march here on Monday.

The editor of Rising Kashmir, Bukhari was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his office on June 15.

"It has been four days and the Prime Minister is still silent. The government, the military... none of them is out of the suspect list and we demand justice for the murder," said Basudev Basu, Vice President of Bandi Mukti Committee, after the protest march that started from the Academy of Fine Arts.

According to him, the Indian government cannot shirk its responsibility.

Some organisations said there was a need to investigate if the government was playing any role in the case.

Refering to Bukhari's fearless voice on the Kashmir situation, Basu said: "The Centre had suspended truce in Jammu and Kashmir during the Eid festival but you all have read Bukhari's articles where he had clearly mentioned the way government is trying to tackle the situation in Kashmir will not satisfy them."

"A few days back a BJP member of Parliament had said that stone pelters should be killed with bullets. Also, a man was tied to a military vehicle and taken around (to deter stone pelters). Bukhari had protested against all these and asserted that these problems ought to be solved as Kashmir cannot be isolated in this way," he added.

The members of Bandi Mukti Committee, Friends of Democracy, All India People's Forum, South Asian Dalit Forum, Bastar Solidarity Network India and other organisations demanded punishment for all those involved in Bukhari's murder.

The marchers condemnied the killings of all journalists who spoke out on sensitive issues like Dalit killings and Kashmir situation.

"It is very sad that the writers who talk about peace are being attacked and killed. We want everyone to react against this injustice," said Indranil Biswas, member of Swaraj Abhiyan.

--IANS

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