Canadian city to commemorate Sept 5 as 'Gauri Lankesh Day'

Bengaluru: The Canadian city of Burnaby has declared September 5 as ‘Gauri Lankesh Day’,as a tribute to the slain journalist on her death anniversary, her sister Kavitha Lankesh said on Thursday.

”I have received a proclamation (from Burnaby about observing Gauri Lankesh Day),” Kavitha told PTI.

The proclamation issued by the office of the Mayor of Burnaby Mike Hurley said Gauri Lankesh was a courageous Indian journalist who stood up for truth and justice, challenged superstition and social ills, and dedicated her life to serving the poor and oppressed.

Hurley noted that Gauri laid down her life in 2017 in her fight against repression and for human rights and Canadians of Indian heritage commemorate her death on September 5 every year.

He said the City of Burnaby celebrates the diversity of its community and recognises the contribution that Indo-Canadians have made to the social, economic and cultural development of the city.

”Now, therefore I, Mike Hurley, Mayor of Burnaby, do hereby proclaim September 5th as ”Gauri Lankesh Day” in the City of Burnaby, ” the proclamation read.

Kavita said, ”Of course, I am very proud of her. I feel the world is not bad after all. There is hope for truth, power and freedom of the press. At least journalists are getting recognised and not just attacked all the time.” Gauri’s brother Indrajeet Lankesh too expressed happiness.

”It’s good. It’s a proud moment for our family,” Indrajeet said.

Lankesh, a left-leaning journalist who brought out a magazine ‘Gauri Lankesh Patrike’, was shot dead by two assailants on September 5, 2017 evening just outside her house in Bengaluru allegedly for her anti-Hindutva stand.