Hundreds of protesters shouting slogans participated in a nationwide protest call which was given by the Forum Against Assassination of Gouri lankesh at the district headquarters of Kandhamal.
Various organisations like Campaign for Peace (CSSS), Indian Social Action Forum(INSAF), Banabasi Surakshya Parisad and Adivasi Adhikar Aandolan organised the protest rally and a meeting at Phulbani. Notably, Kandhamal district has a dubious distinction of communal violence, especially in 2007 and 2008.
The protest rally was started from Madikunda Chhak and marched around the town in the tune of songs like ‘ Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega’ and ‘Mere Rande Basanti Chola’ and slogans against recent killings of Gouri lankesh, MM Kulbargi, Govind Pansare, Narendra Davolkar, to save democracy, diversities and constitutional values as well as attacks on Dalits and minorities by the state right wing extremists supported by right wing political parties. Under the leadership of Campaign for Peace secretary Narendra Mohanty and state convener of INSAF, rationalist leader Md Abdul Sukur, D Mohan Rao, senior leader of civil society Brahmananda Behera, Chakradhar Mallick, Prof Prasanna Bishoyi, Prasanta Pradhan, V Subramanyam Das, State Employees Federation Coordination Committee(Kandhamal) secretary Kishore Mishra, leader of regional women’s federation Bhanumati Mallick, community leader Balabhadra Mallick, Amosh Majhi, Patra Mallick, students leader Kanhu Mishra, the rally was organised.
The speakers gave a clarion call to be united against all hate campaigns by the divisive forces and hold high the banner of democracy, constitutional values, secularism and right to expression of the citizen and also the cultural diversities of the country.