The Congress on Saturday denied pointing fingers at RSS and BJP for journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder, but said people are being targeted due to differences in ideology.

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"Never said RSS-BJP behind this, but definitely there's an ideological conflict. Maybe people are being murdered due to that," senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday.

His comments come a day after BJP slammed Congress for politicising the killing and pinned the blame on the Congress government in Karnataka for not providing security to her.

"Even before the 'I' of investigation could start, the great leader Rahul Gandhi, who always speaks without homework, alleged publicly that the RSS and right-wing ideology was involved. He has given the verdict of guilty," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said on Friday.

Unidentified motorcycle borne gunmen shot dead the 55-year-old journalist as she was entering her home in Bengaluru last week.

Gauri's views on Hindu right-wing politics and taking up rights issues including those of Maoists had often triggered controversies.

Centre gets report

The Union Home Ministry on Saturday received a report from the Karnataka government on her murder probe. The state chief secretary in his factual report gave detailed account of the sensational killing and the follow-up action by the police.

The report also mentioned that the state government had set up a special investigation team to probe the case and find out those involved, the Home ministry official said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met the mother and the sister of Gauri in Bengaluru on Saturday and said that truth should come to fore in the mystery surrounding the death of Gauri Lankesh.

What Rahul had said...

Anybody who speaks against the ideology of the BJP-RSS is pressured, beaten, attacked and even killed. The PM is a skilled Hindutva politician. Unke shabdo mein 2 meanings hote hain. Unke base ke liye ek hota hai, baaki duniya ke liye alag– Rahul Gandhi, Congress vice-president

BJP's poser to CM...

I would like to ask Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah whether Gauri Lankesh was helping Naxals surrender with government's consent– Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Law and Justice