Guha had said that India was turning into Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The BJP has issued a legal notice to historian Ramchandra Guha for linking Gauri Lankesh’s murder to BJP and RSS. According to ANI, the Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha’s secretary has issued a legal notice to the historian over his statement in an interview.
Guha had said about Gauri's murder that the 'climate of hate and intolerance promoted by the current (BJP) government' was complicit in the murder. He had said that India was becoming a mirror image of Bangladesh and Pakistan, ‘where writers were killed for what they said’. Guha had added that there was an attempt to silence all of those who believed in democracy.
He was quoted saying by The Indian Express: “The climate of hate and intolerance that has been promoted by this current (BJP) government, aided by television channels and freelance goondas, is complicit in this murder. It is chilling. We are becoming mirror images of Bangladesh and Pakistan, where writers are killed for what they say. This is an attempt to silence all of us, all of those who believe in democracy and decency.”
He had also written in a column in Hindustan Times that the murder had been ‘ghoulishly celebrated by Hindutva right-wingers’.
He had written in his column: “Gauri Lankesh’s death has been widely mourned by ordinary, decent, Indians. On the other hand, it has been ghoulishly celebrated by Hindutva right-wingers. The senior Cabinet Minister, Nitin Gadkari, has denied that the BJP or its affiliates had anything to do with Gauri Lankesh’s murder. How, so soon after the event, can he be so sure? Even if the BJP or the RSS is not directly involved in this and similar murders, there is little question that the ruling dispensation has enabled a climate of hate and suspicion that makes such targeted killings of writers and scholars possible. It may be freelancers who actually commit these acts; but they are emboldened by politicians, ideologues and television anchors who demonise all critics of the ruling regime as anti-national. The political climate is now more poisonous and rancorous than at any time since the Emergency.
Rahul Gandhi must prove his claim: Karnataka BJP
The Karnataka BJP today said if Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is holding the RSS and right-wing ideology responsible for the killing of journalist -activist Gauri Lankesh, he should furnish evidence to back his allegations.
A day after the Left-leaning journalist was killed, Rahul Gandhi had said that anybody who speaks against the ideology of BJP and RSS, is pressured, beaten up, attacked and even killed.
State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa today said, "If Rahul Gandhi has any proof to prove his allegations, he should furnish it."
BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had also attacked Gandhi on September 8 for holding the right wing and RSS ideology responsible for the killing of the 55-year- old journalist.
"The BJP would like to ask the Chief Minister of Karnataka that in the light of the unilateral malafide comment of Rahul Gandhi, should we expect a fair investigation by the SIT," he had asked.
The state government has formed an SIT to probe the killing.
Replying to a query, Yeddyurappa told reporters here today, "Let all inquirers get over and whoever are the culprits, they must be hanged. For that, we (the BJP) has no objection."
Asked if the BJP was satisfied with inquiry by the SIT or would demand a CBI probe, the former chief minister said it was left for the government to decide.
Yeddyurappa alleged the government has "failed" in maintaining law and order, which is reflected in the murders of RSS and BJP activists, Left-leaning intellectuals, and a journalist.
"At least, in Gauri Lankesh's case, let the government take proper action and culprits should be brought to book and punished," he told reporters here.
Lankesh, known to be an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants at her home here on the night of September 5.
With inputs from PTI
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