Fallen Free: Remembering Gauri Lankesh

Radical-left author Gauri Lankesh was born on January 29, 1962. Throughout her life, she faced obstacles for expressing her bold political opinions. She was shot in 2017 for her harsh criticisms against the government.

The Fearless Journalist-Activist : Gauri Lankesh; Source: Public Domain

The amalgamation of politics and religion in India has been one of the main causes of conflict in the country throughout the ages. Criticism of political ideology or governance is often mistaken to be an attack aimed at the sanctity of religion. Such was the tragedy suffered by left-wing columnist Gauri Lankesh, for expressing her radical opinions on communal politics in India.

Born on January 29, 1962, Gauri Lankesh belonged to Bangalore, Karnataka. She was a prolific journalist with strong opinions and had worked as a writer for some of the most widely read newspapers in the country, such as The Times of India and Sunday.

Her father, Palya Lankesh, was a famous Kannada writer and filmmaker. Gauri, along with her brother Indrajit, worked to keep the Lankesh Patrike alive after their father passed away in 2000. The weekly tabloid had been started by their father in 1980, inspired by Gandhi’s Harijan. Five years after the siblings had taken over Lankesh Patrike, Gauri’s politically polarised opinions became the cause of conflict between the two. An article was published in the tabloid regarding Naxalites.What Indrajit considered support to their insurgency, Gauri considered social activism.

The conflict soon escalated and took a messy turn when Indrajit retracted the article from the published paper. Consequently, both filed cases against each other, wherein Indrajit claimed that Gauri had allegedly stolen a computer and other electronic accessories from the publication’s office, while she claimed that Indrajit had allegedly threatened her with a gun.

Eventually, Gauri Lankesh decided to start her own publication, titled Gauri Lankesh Patrike.

Gauri’s bold criticism of Hindutva politics, press censorship, religion and caste-based discrimination often got her into trouble among right-wing politicians and their supporters, but the journalist was unfazed and stood her ground.

Unfortunately, in 2017, she was shot by three men right in front of her house in Bangalore. T

he murder, which was perhaps motivated by Lankesh’s outspoken views on topics considered sensitive in Indian politics, was condemned by all major political parties such as the BJP and the Congress.

Gauri was given a state funeral, as her body lay in a casket at Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bangalore for the masses to pay tribute to the writer.

Her death became a huge cause of controversy in the country, sparking protests in the city of Bangalore and discussions surrounding the dubious nature of press freedom in recent times, considering similar deaths of journalists M.M. Kalburgi and Narendra Dabholkar which had also taken place in the recent past.

Gauri Lankesh’s death is often evoked as a symbol of the policing of expressing opinions, which goes against the essence of democracy.