Justice and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday criticized Congressional Vice President Rahul Gandhi for describing the assassination of top journalist Gauri Lankesh as a “right-wing conspiracy.”
“Even before the investigation could begin, Rahul Gandhi has publicly claimed that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and right-wing ideology are responsible for the murder of Gauri Lankesh.” [Siddaramiah] should tell us whether Rahul Gandhi has already declared guilty, what will the government of Karnataka investigate now? “Prasad said.
He reiterated that there was no place for violence in a democracy, adding that he and other ministers of the Center had condemned the murder.
Mr. Prasad added, “I would like to ask Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah whether Gauri Lankesh was helping Naxals surrender with the consent of the government, and if so, why did they not give him enough security?”
He said there were reports that the Naxals were unhappy with Gauri for bringing some of his companions into the mainstream, citing the claims of his brother Indrajit.
Assassinations in Kerala
He accused liberal voices who were “rightly angry” about Gauri’s murder of being silent when RSS workers were murdered in Kerala and tried to know whether RSS men had human rights or not.
“To condemn every murder is correct, but why did my liberal friends remain silent after the killings of BJP-RSS workers in Kerala and Karnataka? Why have the killers of Kalburgiji not yet been captured?” Asked Mr. Prasad.
He wondered if Mr. Gandhi had asked the Karnataka government why the killers had not yet been captured and punished.
Demanding an investigation by the State, Mr. Prasad said: “Do not politicize the matter. We expect the government of the Karnataka Congress to examine it honestly.”
