Communalism, CPI-ML New Democracy

Gauri Lankesh : Strong in Life, Stronger in Death

The more they kill to silence, the more people raise their voice in protest. RSS-BJP’s plan to intimidate the intellectuals into silence through murderous attacks, is forcing more and more people to come out to protest. A sea of humanity marched in Bengaluru on September 12 to denounce the murder of fearless journalist Gauri Lankesh, a strident critic of Hindutva brand of politics, its attacks on Muslims and Dalits and a convinced supporter of the movement against oppression and exploitation. She supported the struggle against caste oppression. She supported the struggles waged by communist revolutionaries. She took up the struggle against religious bigotry and persecution of minorities. All these brought her onto the hit list of fascist Hindutva forces. She was gunned down outside her house on September 5th by motor cycle borne killers. This followed the pattern of killing of Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and M.M. Kulburgi, all of them strong critics of Hindutva brand of politics of RSS-BJP.

Thousands of people marched in protest in Bengaluru not only denouncing the murder but proclaiming upholding of the ideals for which Gauri Lankesh lived and died. The intellectuals of the country are breaking their silence and came out in large number in protests. The best answer to Hindutva forces is that their murderous attacks are not intimidating anyone, that the people of the country are ready to face to these murderous attacks, that they are willing to lay down their lives for the cause of the people of the country. RSS-BJP goons have not succeeded nor will succeed in cowing down the people.

Gauri Lankesh lived life by her convictions, her conviction against exploitation and oppression in society, against attacks on Muslims and Dalits, caste oppression and religious prosecution, her support to the left movement particularly struggles led by communist revolutionaries. She did not care for the threats of the reactionaries nor did she bow down before them.

Hindutva forces led by RSS have bared their murderous fangs. They wish to silence their opponents by physically eliminating them. BJP MLA of Karnataka D. N. Jeevaraj made this clear when he asserted that Gauri Lankesh would have lived had she not criticized RSS. It is a standard tactic of fascist forces to both claim and deny their involvement in such murderous attacks, claim to instil fear and deny to avoid legal and political backlash.

RSS led Hindutva forces are trying to mislead public opinion by insinuating the possible involvement of Maoists in her murder. Gauri Lankesh was a known leftist by conviction and a supporter of people’s struggles including those led by communist revolutionaries by commitment, enjoyed wide reputation among revolutionary forces and people’s movements. This insinuation is a deliberate attempt on the part of RSS and their affiliates to divert attention from their involvement in this heinous murder.

RSS led Hindutva forces have unleashed a murderous campaign against Muslims and Dalits, progressive, revolutionary and rationalist intellectuals. Through this murderous campaign they wish to silence all opposition and impose their reactionary, decadent and retrograde vision of society. RSS led Hindutva forces are sure to stage more such attacks to fulfill their objective. These attacks are part of the fascist drive of RSS-BJP dispensation ruling at the Centre and in many states.

RSS led Hindutva forces stand for unbridled exploitation of the country by foreign and comprador corporate capitalists and unchecked oppression by landlord and Brahmannical forces. RSS and its affiliates are like a hydra headed monster devouring the present and future of the country and its people.

These forces are aided by thorough and deep seated communalism in the administrative, police and intelligence machinery of the Indian state. These forces controlling the state machinery make a mockery of the investigations into the attacks by these forces, lead them astray and ultimately result in nothing. Ruling class parties which claim to oppose RSS brand of Hindutva politics do not target this aspect of the state machinery. Despite nearly two years after the gruesome murder of Prof. M.M. Kulburgi, his murderers have not been identified leave alone arrested though the state of Karnataka is ruled by a Congress Govt.

CPI(ML)-New Democracy strongly condemns the murder of Gauri Lankesh and other murderous attacks. We appeal to all progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to rise to demand that the culprits of these attacks along with the political conspirators should be arrested immediately. A broad and deep movement against RSS led Hindutva forces should be built especially against their attacks on Muslims, Dalits and struggling forces and intellectuals. Building a powerful movement against the fascist drive of RSS led Hindutva forces is the need of the hour. CPI(ML)-New Democracy is committed to build and play a part in such a movement.