An Indian-journalist Gauri Lankesh, with one of the strong voices in the media against rightwing groups, was shot dead outside her residence in Bengaluru on September 5 last year and in June 2018, Parashuram Waghmore (one of the victims) had confessed to the murder.
Recently, the chief of the Karnataka-based rightwing group Sri Ram Sene, Promod Muthalik, has provoked the anger of many by passing a comment that he claims is his defence of our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
The background: While people find our PM quick to respond to fitness challenges on Twitter and post birthday messages they find him guilty of keeping silent on some important matters including rape cases and the murder of journalist-turned-activist Gauri Lankesh.
Pramod Muthalik was questioned on the same recently, to which he responded by saying, “People are asking why is PM Modi silent and not speaking on Gauri Lankesh’s death. Is Modi responsible even if any dog dies in Karnataka?”
He said this at a public meeting in Bengaluru.
In 2009, Pramod Muthalik’s Sri Ram Sene was in news for a brutal attack on young men and women at a pub in Mangalore. Investigators are also looking into the possible links to Gauri Lankesh’s murder last year.
As reported by ANI, Pramod Muthalik had said, “Two murders happened in Karnataka and two happened in Maharashtra during the Congress regime. No one is uttering a word over Congress government’s failure. Instead, they are asking why PM Modi is silent and not commenting on Gauri Lankesh’s death. Many wanted PM Modi to react after Lankesh’s death. Why should PM react if some dog dies in Karnataka?”
This comment of Muthalik has come three days after Parashuram Waghmare, the last of six suspects in the Gauri Lankesh murder, was arrested by the special investigating team (SIT).
A photograph was doing the rounds on social media of the Sri Ram Sene chief with the murder accused, to which Muthalik admitted that he knows the murderer. But later, he changed his statement saying, “There is no connection between Sri Ram Sene and Waghmare. He is neither our member nor our worker…This I say very clearly.”
After this, the investigation team summoned Sri Ram Sene leader Rakesh Math for questioning. A senior police officer told PTI that “We have summoned Rakesh Math but he has not come yet.”
While the Gauri Lankesh murder case gets more complicated, such ignorant comment from a party member has managed to rage the Twitter for all valid reasons.
Disgusting,nauseating, revolting…vigilante group Sri Ram Sene’s Head Pramod Muthalik compares assassinated journalist Gauri Lankesh to a dog. Mr Prime Minister @narendramodi you did not condemn Gauri Lankesh’s murder are you now going to condone this too https://t.co/V3do2n5wIv
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) June 18, 2018
Accused Waghmare reportedly confessed to having killed #GauriLankesh, his photo with Pramod Muthalik taking rounds of internet, Sri Ram Sene is collecting funds to fight his case and now Muthalik calls Gauri a dog. Then they ask where is #HindutvaTerror #SaffronTerror https://t.co/rrv7i9Dfu3
— Sanjukta Basu (@sanjukta) June 17, 2018
