Activists, journalists in Bangalore demand: Declare Sanatan Sanstha terrorist organization

By Our Representative
At a gathering in Bangalore, held on the occasion of the first anniversary of the murder of well-known journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, senior activists and journalists have demanded that the right-wing “supremacist” organization Sanatan Sanstha, whose members are allegedly involved in the conspiracy to murder Lankesh, be declared a terrorist organisation.
Earlier, they paid homage at Lankesh’s grave.
Those who participated in the meeting included Lankesh’s sister Kavitha, social activists Swami Agnivesh and Teesta Setalvad, youth leaders Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid, and senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan. Later, they marched to the Raj Bhavan in favour of their demand.

Just meters away, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti also held a counter protest, blaming the Congress for framing ‘innocent’ Hindu men in the terror plot that was recently discovered by the Maharashtra ATS. One of the key accused in the Lankesh murder case allegedly has links to the Sanatan Sanstha.
Speaking on the occasion, Varadrajan, founder-editor, "The Wire", said, “The pledge that we took last year after Gauri’s death to continue with her work has been vindicated because the forces that killed Gauri and were behind the killing of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi have been attacking and intimidating anyone who dare to speak out.”

Setalvad, secretary, Citizens for Justice and Peace, added, “What is worrying is that lawyers who fight for the most dispossessed are being targeted. What is also horrifying is the words used by the police when they level accusations. It shows that the police don’t care.”
A PEN Gauri Lankesh Award for Democratic Idealism was instituted to reward the efforts of an individual or organisation whose work reflects an abiding passion and courage towards advancing democratic culture in India. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

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