TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: The Sri Ram Sene on Friday sought the intervention of the government to stop the release of the Konkani tiatr Akantwadi Goeam Naka scheduled at the Gomant Vidya Niketan on Saturday evening, claiming the tiatr director Tousif de Navelim has sought to portray its chief Pramod Muthalik as a terrorist.
The Sene moved the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao on Friday evening for a stay on the tiatr release. Hearing of the petition is expected to come up before the JMFC, Margao on Saturday morning as the Ram Sene lawyer reported in the court at the fag end of the day.
The Ram Sene has also questioned why Goa has no censor board like in other states to monitor the script before the play or tiatr is staged before the public.
Ram Sene Karnataka state organising secretary, Gangadhar Kulakami told the media that the tiatr is aimed in portraying Pramod Muthalik as a terrorist before the public. ‘When Pramod Muthalik is fighting against terror in Karnataka and assisting the authorities in tracking down the activities of terror outfits, here is play which sought to portray Muthalik as a terrorist”, he said, while demanding to know why the tiatr director, Tousif has not written a play on the community which he belongs to for producing terrorists across the world.
Asked whether the Ram Sena will stop the show from taking place on Saturday, Kulakami said “We have moved the district collector and the district police chief, besides the chairman of Gomant Vidya Niketan to stop the release of the show. We have also initiated legal proceedings for a stay on the show. If nothing works, we have 24 hours with us to weigh various options. We will get back to Muthalik back home to chalk out a plan of action if the government authorities fails to stop the show.”
Replying to a question, he said the tiatr director Tousif de Navelim has mentioned the name of Muthalik on the tiatr advertisement, a clear indication that the tiatr is directed at the Ram Sene chief.
On the threatening phone calls made to the tiatr director, Kulakami firmly denied that Muthalik had called upon Tousif, but admitted that many persons tuned to the Hindu ideology might have called up the director to protest against the tiatr release.
Meanwhile, the Ram Sene headed by Pramod Muthalik has already started working underground in Goa to prepare the ground for the formal launch of the unit in the state.
Ram Sene Karnataka state secretary Gangadhar Kulakami told the media that the organisation will open an unit in the state after completing the preliminary work presently underway in Goa.
“We have started our underground activity in Goa. The primary work of starting the organisation is presently underway in the state. Once the process is completed, we will soon announce the launch”, he added.
Ram Sene gets Sanathan backing
MARGAO: The Ram Sene has received the support of its natural Hindu ally, Sanathan Sanstha in its resolve to get the release of tiatr Akantvadi Goeam Naka stopped at Gomant Vidya Niketan on Saturday.
Addressing a joint media conference with Ram Sene organising secretary, Gangadhar Kulakami in the city here on Friday evening, Sanathan Sanstha leader Dr Manoj Solanki admitted the Sanathan Sansthan is supporting the Ram Sene on the issue of the controversial tiatr. “Is the director aware of the definition of a terrorist. The tiatr poster suggests that Muthalilk is a terrorist. He has sent a message that Muthalik is a terrorist. This is defamatory and a move aimed at portraying Muthalik in poor light”, Dr Solanki said, adding it is not proper for anyone to target a Hindu organisation without any basis.
He also took exception to the director pointing accusing fingers at Sanathan Sanstha, saying that none of its members were involved in issuing threatening calls to the tiatr director. “First, he has come out with a tiatr targeting Muthalik and now wants to seek sympathy by claiming he has received threatening calls”, Solani said.
He asserted that Muthalik has the fundamental right to set up a unit in Goa, saying that the Constitution of India permits any organisation to set up a branch anywhere in the country.
Director seeks protection, says tiatr not against any individual
MARGAO: Tiatr Director, Tousif de Navelim on Friday has sought police protection for himself on the eve of the release of his tiatr Akantvadi Goean Naka at the Gomant Vidya Niketan on Saturday as he continued receiving threatening calls on the second day today.
Tousif has also sought police protection at Gomant Vidya Niketan where the tiatr will be released on Saturday evening. He has also lodged a complaint against Sanatan Prabhat, claiming the newspaper published a defamatory item on him vis-a-vis the tiatr.
Tousif told the media that he would go ahead with the release of the tiatr with police protection. “I have made it clear that the tiatr is not against any individual or organisation, but is centered on the theme of national integration. I have not said that Pramod Muthalik is terrorist as claimed by the Ram Sene organisation”, Tousif asserted.
