BJP slaps legal notice against historian Guha for linking Gauri to Sangh Parivar

Bengaluru, Sept 12: The Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha on Monday sent a legal notice to renowned historian Ramachandra Guha for alleging that its ideological mentor, the RSS, and the party had a role in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.

In the legal notice, the Yuva Morcha demanded Guha issue an unconditional apology in the next three days, and also refrain from making such comments. Failure to comply with the aforesaid instructions will ensue the initiation of a civil and criminal prosecution against him, the notice stated.

"If Ramachandra Guha does not apologise, our party will initiate a legal process and take this to the court. Not just Guha, we are observing everyone who makes such comments, and notices will be issued to them, too," said Karnataka BJP spokesperson Ashwath Narayana.

After the murder of Lankesh, Guha had claimed that the RSS was behind the recent killings of activists and journalists and blamed the BJP government for sowing the seeds of intolerance in the country.

"It was likely that Gauri's murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of Pansare, Dabholkar and Kalburgi came... The ruling dispensation in Delhi has created a climate of hate and intolerance," Guha had said.

Karunakar Khasale, state secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha in Karnataka, said Guha's allegations were baseless and sought to undermine the organisation which he represents.

Reacting to the BJP-issued notice, Guha took to Twitter and said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the answer to a book or article can only be another book or article. But we no longer live in Vajpayee's India."

In another tweet, the eminent writer said, "In India today, independent writers and journalists are harassed, persecuted, and even killed. But we shall not be silenced."

An ardent critic of the BJP-led NDA coaliton, Ramachandra Guha has often been at loggerheads with the saffron party. Earlier, Guha had alleged he was receiving threats from the ruling party for criticising the Modi government and the RSS.

Gauri Lankesh, known for her strong views against right wing Hindutva politics, was gunned down by unidentified assailants outside her residence in Bengaluru on Septmber 5. The Karnataka government has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the coldblooded killing that has caused national outrage and protests.