We are being made the scapegoat in Gauri Lankesh murder case: Sanatan Sanstha

Refuting allegations of being questioned by the Special Investigation Team in the Gauri Lankesh murder case, Sanatan Sanstha claimed that it was being made a scapegoat. Members of Hindu Janajagruti Samithi and Sanatan Sanstha on Thursday spoke to the media in Bengaluru and denied any involvement in the sensational murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.

"Names of Hindu organisations are being thrown up in the case unnecessarily. We condemn the murder of Gauri Lankesh but ever since her murder, so-called intellectuals, leftists, media houses have been accusing right-wing organizations for it. Rallies are being taken out, pamphlets are being distributed accusing right wing organisations," said Chetan Rajhans, spokesperson, Sanatan Sanstha. He alleged that rumours were being deliberately floated about SIT officials visiting Sanstha's ashram.

The members, however, acknowledged that individual volunteers of the Sanstha had been approached. "No summons has been issued and no questioning has taken place but local police have been talking to volunteers," Rajhans added.

Highlighting the instances of the 'spiritual' organization's name being associated with the case, legal advisors to the Sanstha have threatened legal action. "Rumours and malicious reports are being spread about our organisation. We are here to clarify matters to the press. We have nothing to do with Gauri Lankesh's murder. If the SIT calls us, we will respond. We are keeping track of false news and are in d process of mulling legal action," said Amrutesh NP, Advocate, Bengaluru High Court.

"If Gauri's is ideological murder, what about right-wing activists'?"

Members of the pro-Hindu organizations urged the SIT to carry out a fair probe into the matter and not allow political pressures influence the course of the investigation. They also alleged that Hindu activists' murders saw no outrage

"At rallies, pamphlets declaring Gauri's murder a handiwork of Hindutva elements are were being distributed Naxals from Chattisgarh have put up banners of Gauri. Why is it not being probed? What about the death of Thimmappa Naik or Prashanth Poojari? Where is the SIT? Why is there no outrage when a Hindutva worker is killed? If Gauri's is ideological murder then what are these?" asked Veerendra Ichalkaranjikar, President of Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad, Mumbai. He urged that no political pressure should be exerted.

The Sanstha maintained that it had no political affiliations and the notion that it was backed by the BJP was wrong. When asked about the absconding accused in the Govind Pansare case, the Sanstha representatives said that the accused could not be members of the organisation since there was such concept.

"Vinay Pawar, Rudra Patil are wrong in absconding. I believe that they should surrender to face trial but they have gone into hiding because of the harassment their family members are going through. Progressive Hindu leaders and workers have been jailed for years unnecessarily in previous cases. There are no members in the Sanstha. We only have volunteers who dedicate their free time to serve," said Sanjiv Punalekar, National Secretary of Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad.

Ramesh Shinde, Spokesperson of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti accused the Kolhapur police of bias and corruption in the Pansare murder case and asked the Karnataka SIT not to follow in their footsteps. "If Karnataka SIT follows in the footsteps of Pune or Kolhapur police, they will hear strictures from the Court. Investigators are delaying the trial in Pansare and Dhabolkar cases," he alleged.

Sanatan Sanstha members alleged that the organisation was being made a soft target to peddle the concept of Saffron Terror. They urged for a fair probe in the Gauri Lankesh murder case and assured to cooperte with the SIT if there was a need.

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