Pics: Ramesh Pandith

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, Oct 2: Mahila Daurjanya Virodhi Vedike, Mangaluru held a meet in the remembrance of Gauri Lankesh and a symposium on the topic ‘Media and Freedom of Expression’ at St Aloysius College here on Monday, October 2.

Dr Sajiha Bhoomigauda, vice-chancellor, Akka Mahadevi University, Vijayapura; Shivasunder, progressive thinker and friend of Gauri Lankesh; Harsha Kumar Kugve, senior mediaperson; and Fr Praveen Martis, principal, St Aloysius College attended the programme and paid floral tribute to Gauri’s potrait.

Dr Sajiha said "We have still not come out from the shocking news. We all loved her and will continue to love her all our lives. She was an inspiration to all us. In every meetings with her, she showed her concern towards my health. I liked her curiosity to know about new things and thoughts. She always used to tell me that I and my husband were bad in marital life, but are very good in keeping the good relationship with each other. It shows how she gave importance to humanity and relations.”

“Firstly, she freed her tabloid from the four walls and rich setup. She made it a voice of society and humanity. She never hated humans, but stood against the evils who took birth in the form of humans. She exposed their devil forms. Finally, she left us leaving a message of truth and fight against the fascism,” she added.

Harsha Kumar said, “Gauri has become our family member today. Everyone one is coming forward with the slogan 'I am Gauri'. But at the same time some are celebrating the death of Gauri. They celebrated the death of M M Kalburgi too. They used social media and tried to spread the news as a happy moment. But Gauri expected all these things before her death. A year ago, the same forces called Gauri, an anti-national, in social media.”

“Social media has become a major instrument to make a person from zero to hero and vice-versa. These are controlled by huge corporate tycoons. Many of them use to crush opponents, especially those who are becoming the voice of society and ordinary people. There are hundreds of right wing sponsored, politically and government backed troll-experts who continuously attack the voices coming out of the society. They call the people who question as anti-nationals,” he stated.

Speaking on the subject of freedom of expression in print media, he said, “In India, 80 per cent of media have become slaves of some political party or the corporate world. They are controlled by some hidden hands and engage in praising those forces. But Gauri never became anyone’s slave. That is why they targeted her. After her death many of them told, ‘If she had not written anything against RSS, she would be live’. Some other told ‘If she showed some control on her writings, there were possibilities for her to live’. These comments show that our freedom of expression is being hijacked by some people. They are trying to silence those who question them,” he added.

“Gauri’s murder is an attack on our freedom of expression, but the majority of media is still sitting mum. This a big disaster for our society. Today, many media are misleading the society. This should stop. Gauri tried to make her tabloid the voice of the voiceless. This is the true journalism,” he concluded.

Writer and activist Nandavara made the introductory speech.Member of Mahila Daurjanya Virodhi Vedike B M Rohini welcomed the gathering.