Bengaluru: Earlier in the morning, prominent writers and activists headed to Raj Bhavan from Maurya Circle as part of 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' protest march demanding a ban on Sanatan Sanstha whose role they claimed was evident in Gauri Lankesh's murder.
Social activist Swami Agnivesh, who was recently attacked allegedly by BJP activists, led the march, accompanied by prominent Kannada writers who were on the ''hit list'' of the alleged killers of Gauri.
Addressing the gathering, Swami Agnivesh maintained that it was the same ideology that killed Mahatma Gandhi killed Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, M.M. Kalburgi and Gauri.
"The killers assumed their path would be clear if they eliminated Gauri. But, they had little idea that it gave birth to lakhs of Gauris. The narrow Hindutva that sought to define who is a Hindu was behind the killings. Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, Dr M.M. Kalburgi and Gauri were all better Hindus in a true sense. The RSS has created a political majoritarian Hinduism which is being imposed. This Hindutva is against the spirit of Hinduism," he said.
Counter-protest by Hindutva outfits
Meanwhile, members of the Hindu Janajagruta Samiti and Sanatan Sanstha took out a march from Bannappa Park to the Freedom Park to protest against the call to ban Sanatan Sanstha and the arrest of 12 accused in Gauri's murder.
The protesters claimed that the 12 men arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) were innocent and were framed in the case just because they were Hindu activist.
Gauri's tabloid relaunched
A year after her death, the Gauri Lankesh Trust and Gauri Lankesh Balaga has relaunched Gauri's weekly tabloid with a new name. The tabloid which has hit the newsstands on her first death anniversary is named 'Nyaya Patha'.
The special edition, with a picture of Gauri on the cover, includes articles written by contributors and has also reproduced a speech delivered by the slain editor at a literary meet in Shivamogga in 2006.
