India News

Gauri Lankesh murder: Journalist’s brother claims naxal hand, sister says “he has no clue”

Published

9 years ago

September 7, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A day after claiming that Gauri had no personal enemies, Indrajit says she was getting hate mails from Naxals, their sister Kavita refutes the claim

A day after he told media persons that his sister, slain senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, had “no personal enemy but only ideological enemies”, Indrajit Lankesh, on Thursday, claimed that naxalites could be behind the murder – something that was immediately refuted by their sister, Kavita.

The comments by Indrajit – who also claimed that the police are probing the possibility of a naxal-hand in Gauri’s murder – seem to have divided the already grief-stricken family. Kavita, also a filmmaker and who lived with Gauri and their mother at the Rajarajeshwari Nagar residence in Bengaluru where the murder took place on Tuesday night, said Indrajit “had no clue about her (Gauri’s) life… she lived with us.”

Those who have known Gauri well – many of them journalists and her former colleagues – have been shocked at Indrajit’s sudden and inexplicable change of stand.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]That Indrajit and Gauri had major ideological differences was well known among the former’s friends. A close friend of Gauri pointed out on condition of anonymity, “When their father, journalist, academician, poet and filmmaker P Lankesh passed away in 2000, Gauri wanted to discontinue the publication of his tabloid – Lankesh Patrike because she thought that the family could never match up to the standards set by her father. However, Indrajit decided to continue with the tabloid forcing Gauri ro establish her independent tabloid titled Gauri Lankesh Patrike a few years later.”

File photo of Indrajit Lankesh

In later years, while Gauri’s views against the BJP, RSS, right-wing fundamentalist organisations and communalism became increasingly acrid, Indrajit moved closer to the BJP. As recent as in July 2017, Indrajit had indicated to reporters in Bengaluru that he was set to join the BJP – a party Gauri detested – and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi – a leader Gauri held utter contempt for.

It was thus not surprising that when BJP leaders like Union minister and Bengaluru MP Ananth Kumar decided to demand that Gauri’s murder be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as he had no faith in the Bengaluru police, Indrajit too backed the demand. Their sister, Kavita, was however maintained that “I don’t care who investigates the case as long as my sister’s killers are caught and brought to justice”.

On Thursday, as Indrajit added another dimension to Gauri’s murder by speculating it to be the handiwork of naxalites, Kavita was predictably livid.

Indrajit claimed: “Gauri succeeded in bringing a couple of people from naxalism into the mainstream. For that, she was getting some hate mails, hate letters… this is an angle that the police are working on.” He added that Gauri’s success in bringing Sirimane Nagaraj, a prominent Naxalite leader, into the mainstream might have irked the Naxals.

File photo of Kavita Lankesh

Kavita retorted saying: “He (Indrajit) has no clue about Naxals. Gauri worked for the Naxals for years and against the Sangh Parivar. I am not sure why my brother is speaking what he is speaking. He had no clue about her life.”

In 2005, both Gauri and Indrajit had filed police complaints against each other. Indrajit, who was the proprietor and publisher of Lankesh Patrike, was against Gauri’s pro-Naxalite stand. Indrajit had registered a police complaint about a computer, printer and scanner which had gone missing from the publication’s office. Gauri Lankesh, on her part, filed a counter complaint and alleged that Indrajit had threatened her with a revolver.

One does not know whether their rocky past was now determining Indrajit’s statements on the possible motive behind his sister’s gruesome murder.

Meanwhile, trading of barbs has continued between the Opposition and the BJP over the murder. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of silencing dissent saying it was part of “their” ideology. “Anyone who speaks against BJP is silenced. People say that the prime minister is quiet and he has not said anything. The point is the entire ideology is to silence voices,” Rahul said.

The CPM too has maintained that Gauri’s murder follows a familiar pattern earlier witnessed with the murders of rationalists and fierce opponents of the BJP like Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi. All of them, like Gauri, were murdered by bike-borne assailants using a country made revolver and all of them had been opposed to right-wing fundamentalism.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, who has already ordered setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state police under an Inspector General level officer with the task of expeditiously solving the blind murder, has said that he has an “open mind” on referring the probe to the CBI and would do so if Gauri’s family members ask for a probe from the central agency.

The Karnataka police which has retrieved a low-resolution footage from the two CCTV cameras outside Gauri’s house said that the footage shows the killer wearing a black helmet approaching Gauri as she walked to the gate of her house to unlock it and then opening fire at her. The police are currently collecting footage from all CCTV cameras along the stretch between Basavanagudi, from where Gauri left, and Rajarajeshwari Nagar, before she was shot dead.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Congress puts UP house in order ahead of alliance talks with Samajwadi Party

Congress has intensified its preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections ahead of alliance talks with the Samajwadi Party, with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tasked with key organisational responsibilities and candidate selection.

Published

9 hours ago

November 9, 2026

APNLive Desk

The Congress has begun strengthening its organisational structure in Uttar Pradesh ahead of proposed alliance discussions with the Samajwadi Party for the 2027 Assembly elections. With negotiations expected to begin after Chhath Puja, the party leadership has entrusted Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with several key responsibilities in the state.

Rahul Gandhi has asked his sister to oversee the party’s preparations in Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress is looking to strengthen its position before entering seat-sharing negotiations with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

No date has been finalised for the discussions. However, party insiders expect the talks to begin after the Chhath festival.

Priyanka Gandhi gets key responsibilities

Priyanka Gandhi’s responsibilities include overseeing the formation of the party’s manifesto, campaign and coordination committees.

She has also been tasked with organising four major rallies across Uttar Pradesh’s Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, Awadh and Western regions.

One of her most important responsibilities will be identifying candidates for around 100-115 constituencies. The party wants to shortlist leaders who can challenge the BJP while remaining aligned with the Congress’s ideology.

Priyanka Gandhi has also increased her involvement in the state’s political affairs, partly to address unnecessary public statements by Congress leaders that could affect the party’s relationship with the Samajwadi Party.

Congress-SP alliance talks and seat-sharing differences

The Congress leadership is reportedly satisfied with the Samajwadi Party’s participation in the November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, where the SP brought a large number of workers.

A senior Congress leader told the media that there would be no major hurdles in forming an alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

The final decision, however, will be taken by Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Akhilesh Yadav, the leader said.

Despite the positive signals, differences over seat-sharing remain an important issue between the two parties.

Some Congress leaders have claimed that the party has already prepared a list of 180-200 constituencies. Others have maintained that the Congress should not be taken lightly during negotiations.

Samajwadi Party leaders, however, have indicated that the Congress should consider a figure closer to 80-100 seats.

Priyanka Gandhi has reportedly instructed the Uttar Pradesh Congress leadership, including the state in-charge, state president, working presidents and other office-bearers, to avoid unnecessary public statements that could negatively affect the proposed alliance.

Samajwadi Party gains confidence after MLC election results

The Samajwadi Party is also entering the proposed negotiations with increased confidence following its performance in the recent Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections.

The party won five of the 11 seats that went to polls. It had previously held only three of those seats.

The MLC elections were considered an important test for the party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Following the results, Akhilesh Yadav described the BJP’s performance as a “double defeat” and said the outcome had laid the groundwork for the Samajwadi Party’s victory in the next Assembly elections.

Swami Prasad Maurya could become a point of friction

Another issue that could complicate the Congress-SP relationship is Swami Prasad Maurya.

Akhilesh Yadav is understood to have reservations about Maurya, while Congress leader Rajendra Gautam, who is in charge of the state, considers him a friend.

Maurya had won the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election on a BJP ticket and served as a minister in the state government. He subsequently joined the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections but lost his election.

He later formed his own political party, the Janata Party, and has frequently criticised Akhilesh Yadav and his PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) platform.

The Samajwadi Party has made it clear that it does not want Maurya included in the proposed alliance under any circumstances.

This leaves the Congress with a difficult choice. If it decides to accommodate Maurya, it may have to allocate him a constituency from its own share of seats rather than the Samajwadi Party’s quota.

With alliance discussions approaching, the Congress is focusing on strengthening its organisation and identifying potential candidates before negotiating with Akhilesh Yadav’s party.

India News

PM Modi, Zelensky discuss Russia-Ukraine war and peace efforts

PM Modi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday and reiterated India’s readiness to contribute to efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Published

10 hours ago

November 9, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday and discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, diplomatic developments and efforts aimed at restoring peace.

The conversation also covered India-Ukraine bilateral cooperation, with both leaders agreeing to further strengthen ties between the two countries.

Modi reiterates India’s position on Ukraine war

During the telephone conversation, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to contributing towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi reiterated India’s consistent position that the conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution.

Modi said he thanked Zelenskyy for sharing his perspective on the ongoing conflict, including its humanitarian aspects and the various efforts being made to restore peace.

Zelensky briefs Modi on diplomatic developments

Zelenskyy said he briefed Modi on the latest diplomatic developments ahead of upcoming peace talks in Abu Dhabi.

The Ukrainian president said Kyiv was preparing for the agenda of the meeting and maintained that Russia should demonstrate a similar willingness to de-escalate the conflict.

Zelenskyy also said Modi had repeatedly conveyed, including directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, that the time had come to end the war rather than continue it.

India-Ukraine ties also discussed

Beyond the conflict, Modi and Zelenskyy reviewed their countries’ wide-ranging bilateral cooperation and agreed to strengthen India-Ukraine ties further.

Zelenskyy also said discussions touched on food security and the disruption of grain exports through the Black Sea. He said India was ready to help mediate efforts to establish food corridors, with the two sides agreeing to keep their teams in contact on this and other bilateral issues.

The call comes as diplomatic efforts continue around the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with talks in Abu Dhabi forming part of the latest efforts to explore a path towards ending the war.

India News

PM Modi extends greetings to Uttarakhand on foundation day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to the people of Uttarakhand on Foundation Day, praising the state’s cultural heritage, natural beauty and development.

Published

19 hours ago

November 9, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended greetings to the people of Uttarakhand on the occasion of the state’s Foundation Day, praising its spiritual heritage, natural beauty and development journey.

In a message posted on X, PM Modi described Uttarakhand as a land enriched by spiritual consciousness, mountain landscapes, sacred rivers and the Char Dham. He also highlighted the state’s distinct identity rooted in its cultural heritage.

PM Modi highlights Uttarakhand’s development

The Prime Minister credited the people of Uttarakhand for the state’s progress, saying their hard work, talent and progressive outlook had helped it reach new heights across different sectors.

He expressed confidence that Uttarakhand would continue to move rapidly along the path of development. PM Modi also wished happiness, peace and prosperity to the people of the state on the occasion.

Why Uttarakhand celebrates Foundation Day

Uttarakhand Foundation Day is observed every year on November 9. The state was formed on November 9, 2000, after being carved out of Uttar Pradesh, becoming the 27th state of India. Dehradun serves as its capital.

The Himalayan state is popularly known as Devbhoomi, or the Land of the Gods. It is home to the four major pilgrimage sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, collectively known as the Char Dham.

Yogi Adityanath also greets Uttarakhand

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also extended greetings to the people of Uttarakhand on Foundation Day.

Yogi highlighted the state’s natural beauty, folk culture, spiritual heritage and tradition of valour. He also said that Uttarakhand was setting new benchmarks for development under the guidance of PM Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.