Vinayak Baliga’s murder local issue says Lekhi, causes displeasure

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 29, 2018: BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi facing  the query by RTI activist Vinayak Baliga’s sister regarding her brother’s death, was ‘too local an issue’ (to be discussed), which left the activist’s sister fuming.

The party spokesperson Lekhi chose to ignore the question by Baliga’s sisters on justice for the death of the RTI activist during an interaction programme ‘Karunada Mahila Jagrathi Samvada’, organized at an auditorium in PVS Circle, on Saturday.

Lekhi, who was having an interaction here on women empowerment, safety and reservation, was posed questions at the end of the programme by sister of slain Vinayak Baliga — Harsha Baliga. Harsha, who was one among the audience, approached Lekhi to question about the murder of her brother and justice.

“I told her (Lekhi), that my brother Vinayak, a grassroots level BJP worker, was murdered for no fault of his. Yet party leaders did not give him justice, but supported the accused. Now they have given ticket to a person who was allegedly part of the murder plan. Why such double standards. The death of my brother has brought mental trauma on women like us, who entirely depended on him. Will you take appropriate action against them?” she questioned.

Harsha said Lekhi categorically denied to answer and said that it’s ‘too local an issue’ and also asked her to give the query in writing. “For an hour she (Lekhi) spoke about daughters of India and their problems, but why did she turn down a question asked by a distressed woman like me,” Harsha told reporters later.

Nalin Kumar, MP, who too was present at the venue, in order to avoid a possible embarrassment, quietly walked away from the stage when Baliga’s sister started her questions.