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The cold-blooded murder of Gauri Lankesh brought back memories of the murder of Kannada writer-thinker MM Kalburgi in Dharwad in 2015, communist leader Govind Pansare in Kolhapur and rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in Pune in 2013. A fierce activist who campaigned for the rights of Dalits, Gauri was also involved in the rehabilitation of Naxalites who were attempting to return to the mainstream. She was an anti-establishment figure and a critic of the BJP and rightwing groups. Those behind the spate of attacks on writers and journalists would do well to remember that any attempt to curb freedom of speech and expression will be futile.
NJ Ravi Chander
Bengaluru
Although Gauri Lankesh’s writings were never conducive for dousing the flames of hatred, her killing must be roundly condemned. Dissidence cannot be killed by killing dissidents.
KV Seetharamaiah
Hassan, Karnataka
Journalists and press photographers who serve the society by exposing injustices often become victims themselves. Though at times they are controlled and pressuried by corporate giants, industrial houses and political bigwigs, spirited journalists discharge their social responsibility bravely. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Freedom of the press is a precious privilege that no country can forgo.”
TS Karthik
Chennai
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Gauri Lankesh held her head high in death as in life. The columns from the pen of this 55-year old left-leaning writer were avidly read for their incisive analysis of current affairs with the underlying opposition to right-wing politics and defence of the causes of secularism and social justice. As an authentic anti-establishment voice, she spoke the truth and was a foil to journalists who ‘spewed out propaganda’ on behalf of the government. It is lamentable that some right-wing politicians stopped short of condoning her killing on the ground of her conviction in a defamation case.
What good is democracy if we cannot exercise the freedom of conscience without running the risk of being eliminated, and the lives of dissenting voices are not protected by the state? The best tribute we can pay to Gauri Lankesh is to resolve to not cede the space for liberal thoughts and values, and civil and critical conversations.
G David Milton
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Stuck record
The views expressed in ‘Policies that help farmers strike it rich’ by Girish Aivalli (September 6) have been discussed for more than two decades but a solution still eludes us. Crop switch-over is not practical. The green revolution brought in self-sufficiency at the cost of quality. Food-induced ailments due to overuse of pesticides and fertilisers have dwarfed self-sufficiency.
Our farmers are capable of producing anything under the sun. The issues they face are the absence of predetermined prices matching shelf prices in stores, farm labour, and appropriate insurance policies. e-NAM has to be strengthened. A comprehensive organic farming policy has to be formulated which will enhance the value of produce and open avenues for export.
S Veeraraghavan
Madurai
SEBI’s right
This refers to ‘Over-suspicious SEBI’ by Palak Shah (From the Viewsroom, September 6). Chapter IV 11(1) of the SEBI Act provides that it shall be the duty of the board to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market, by such measures as it thinks fit. Hence when SEBI has though it fit to suspend trading of securities of shell companies, this cannot be questioned. Moreover SEBI has been given powers under Chapter IV 11(4) a to suspend the trading of any security in a recognised stock exchange. When SEBI has decided to suspend trading in its wisdom to protect the investor’s interest that has to be accepted. It is always better to be cautious than shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.
S Kalyanasundaram
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.
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