50 held for stir over Gauri Lankesh murder
CHENNAI:The Chennai Police on Monday detained about 50 people including activists, writers and academics as they raised slogans near the Marina Beach, condeming the recent murder of Karnataka journalist Gauri Lankesh.While politicians and nationalists queued to pay floral tributes, 100-odd people of varying age groups gathered near the Gandhi statue at the Marina promenade with placards condemning the murder of Gauri Lankesh.
The gathering was initially said to initially hold a peaceful procession to convey the message “the institution that killed Gandhi, killed Lankesh too.” However, the gathering upon question from the police started raising slogans causing unrest in the area. Gauri Lankesh was a journalist in Bangalore, known for her strong views against the Hindutva politics. She was shot outside her residence on September 5 by unknown assailants causing a wave of reaction from journalists and actvists across the country.
The forum against killing of Gauri Lankesh was gathered through an impromptu social media call across 13 cities in India. In Chennai, the police barred the group from offering garlands to Gandhi’s statue fearing that their slogans may spread panic among general panic. “After negotiation with the police, we agreed that we would continue to offer respects peacefully. We were, however, picked up despite resistance,” said T Venkat, a freelance jounalist. The arrested were detained at Vasuki Valluvar Mandapam at Mylapore and released in the evening.
Hot spot for activists
On Gandhi Jayanthi, the statue of the late freedom fighter became a hot spot for actvists rekindling spirits against the establishment. Various unions representing unorganised workers from across Tamil Nadu started a yatra from the Gandhi statue to spread awarness about rights of labourers from the unorgniased sector. The campaign comprised 17 unions. Workers including farmers, construction workers, weavers, and others. “The campaign will be launched across all districts after spreading awareness for a month,” said R Geetha, an activist fighting for rights of unorganised labourers. She added that Centre and State must implement more targeted schemes for workers from the unorgasnised sector, and respond to all pending petitions.
On Gandhi Jayanthi, the statue of the late freedom fighter became a hot spot for actvists rekindling spirits against the establishment. Various unions representing unorganised workers from across Tamil Nadu started a yatra from the Gandhi statue to spread awarness about rights of labourers from the unorgniased sector. The campaign comprised 17 unions. Workers including farmers, construction workers, weavers, and others. “The campaign will be launched across all districts after spreading awareness for a month,” said R Geetha, an activist fighting for rights of unorganised labourers. She added that Centre and State must implement more targeted schemes for workers from the unorgasnised sector, and respond to all pending petitions.
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