The ideology responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi was behind the killing of personalities such as journalist Gauri Lankesh, scholar M M Kalburgi, and activists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday.

Siddaramaiah was speaking at ‘Reimagining India in Authoritarian Times’, a function held to mark Lankesh’s sixth death anniversary.

“Why was Gandhi killed? He strived for communal harmony, which the communal powers could not tolerate. Such powers killed Gauri Lankesh. This is not just her story. If anyone raises their voice against communal forces, threats are issued, threatening letters are written…For communal forces, our fear is their strength. Don’t be afraid of them,” Siddaramaiah said.

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