SHILLONG: Journalists of Shillong Press Club and Meghalaya Electronic Media Association (MEMA) joined the rest of the country for a candle light vigil at Khyndai Lad on Thursday in memory of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.
Residents cutting across communities and political organizations here attended the solemn gathering in which they lit candles and signed on a banner.
An independent journalist who edited her own Kannada weekly, Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified men outside here Bengaluru house on September 5. The Karnataka government has decided to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the killing.
Speaking to reporters, Kyrmenlang Uriah, president of MEMA, said he was concerned about the growing incidents of violence against journalists.
Stating that it was high time the government introduced an act for special security and protection of journalists, Uriah said, “We reiterate the demand from the Meghalaya government to implement the Risk Insurance Scheme for working journalists in the state.”
Uriah said journalists played a crucial role in keeping citizens informed about what was happening around the world and exposing the misdeeds of the mighty and powerful.
“Criminal intimidation of journalists and preventing them from performing their duties are violations of the freedom enshrined in and guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said.
Conrad condemns murder
Expressing concern over the murder of journalist Lankesh, MP Conrad K Sangma said, “civilized societies do not condone or justify crimes such as murder.”
While praising Lankesh for her bold and outspoken personality as a journalist, Sangma labelled the horrendous crime as an attack on the media and activism.
He alleged that since the press was one of the pillars of a democratic society, crimes of such a nature should not go unpunished.
Sangma also urged the Karnataka government to ensure speedy justice.
He urged the Centre to see to it that justice was delivered “for the sake of Lankesh, Bengaluru and India”. TUR said in a statement, “Her killing is the latest in the murder of rationalists and progressive citizens like Govind Pansare, Naresh Dobholkar, Prof Kulbargi by the forces of Hindutva Fascism”.
