Letter regarding the killing of Gauri Lankesh

Hello Spark team,

Reading your article I felt like expressing my feelings that are full of anger, outrage, disgust, irk and hopelessness right now!

Anger against the system, that it is a democracy just on paper. Because when progressive ideas that are pro-people and against the rulers start flowing from the pens of journalists or from the mouths of activists, the rule of force stands unmasked in front of us.

Outraged at the authorities that are supposed to protect people, but are instead busy killing people on the basis of what they wear, what they eat or where they stay and which language they speak, while people who dare to raise their voices against these atrocities are killed in either broad daylight or just outside their homes.

Disgusted at the incapability of the system to catch hold of and punish the killers over so many years now! And I know that the guilty will never be punished given the fact that these attacks are organised by the people who do not wish to questioned! By the ones who do not want to take accountability of people’s basic needs. By the ones who want to maintain their unquestioned rule, by hook or by crook!

I feel irked by the thought that I live where freedom of speech is just a dream. Because if you have the guts to raise your voice then you better be prepared to be shot dead anywhere anytime, while the state authorities sit mum and watch you bleed to death! Sometimes I feel that let alone freedom of speech we will be targeted even if we dare to have freedom of thoughts!

But enough is enough now! I cannot take this fascism served to me under the name of democracy. I cannot and I will not. So when I have so much anger inside me, my journalist brothers and sisters, my student brother and sisters, my activist brother and sisters and all those who have risen in support are my source of strength. My source of hope! My source of belief that I have to keep going and not lose faith in this cause.

Yes I am talking about Gauri Lankesh! Yes I am talking about Narendra Dabholkar! Yes I am talking about Govind Pansare! And about Kalburgi! But now it’s time we stop this list. It’s time we all get together to raise our voices fearlessly. Let us see how many these rulers can kill. Let us see how they will stop the flames that are burning inside us.

-Shirin