Gauri Lankesh murder: US condemns scribe’s death; calls it tragic murder
The killing of activist- journalist Gauri Lankesh was a “tragic murder”, the US has said, days after the slain scribe who was regarded as a symbol of free speech and dissent was shot dead outside her home.
Lankesh, 55, known for her left-leaning outlook and forthright views on Hindutva politics, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Bangalore on Tuesday, triggering nationwide condemnation.
Addressing a Congressional subcommittee during a hearing on South Asia, US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells said India provides the “highest constitutional protections” for religious minorities, and the goal of the US is to work with India to encourage it to meet the goals set in its constitution and laws.
“There are cases, obviously, of religious — as we detail in both the Human Rights Report and the International Religious Freedom Report — of infringements, and there was a tragic murder of a journalist just this week who was often the subject of nationalist criticism,” she said, in a reference to the killing of Lankesh.
She said these are the challenges for any democracy, but India is a democracy, and it is a “vibrant democracy”.
“And we have respect for Indian institutions and ability …read more
