Even as the anger against the brutal murder of prominent journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru and the death threat received by renowned activist-writer Kancha Ilaiah continues to simmer in India, these two incidents were mentioned in the US US House of Representatives.
According to media reports, Trent Franks, a Republican representing Arizona's 8th congressional district, raised the issue in US House of Representatives to highlight how freedom of speech is silenced in various parts of the world.
“Across the world, Mr. Speaker, the freedom of speech is frequently infringed. A posted critique or just sharing one's views freely on the Internet can be punishable, even by death...late one evening in September, a well-known Indian journalist Gauri Lankesh was murdered outside her home,” he said. Noting that Lankesh had a reputation for her fearless criticism for undemocratic elements within the parties in power," Franks said the circumstances of her death were ""strikingly similar to three other Indian activists."
"Just weeks ago, another of India's most prominent political journalists, professor Kancha Ilaiah, known for critiquing India's caste order was threatened by a Hindu member of India's Parliament. This Member of Parliament, who is an ally of the current BJP government, issued a statement that Kancha Ilaiah should be public ally hanged,"he said in his speech.
"Mr. Speaker, I stand on the floor of the United States House of Representatives to state unequivocally that the United States and the entire global community is and should be deeply concerned about the threat to the life of professor Kancha Ilaiah, one of the world's well-known intellectuals. Our trusted ally and friend India is better than this”.
Franks concluded his speech saying professor Kancha Ilaiah's freedom to speech should not be infringed and added that Indian government should make it a priority to provide protection to the likes of Ilaiah.
