Team Herald
PORVORIM: Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for allowing Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik to enter the State, the Opposition questioned the government if it was trying to create a law-and-order situation and finish off tourism.
Replying to the Governor’s Address in the State Legislative Assembly, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said, “Manohar Parrikar had imposed a ban on Sri Ram Sene. Why? Because their chief would make communal and inflammatory speeches. Was Parrikar mad or has Muthalik changed his ways? He entered the State and spoke about ‘love jihad’.”
The Fatorda MLA said, “He (Muthalik) had gone to the Supreme Court to get the ban lifted but the SC said it will not lift the ban since he does moral policing.”
“Isn’t ‘love jihad’ moral policing? What is the government’s stand on this? Is the government trying to create a law-and-order situation and finish tourism?,” he asked.
Sardesai said, “It is clear that any confusion created will have an impact on tourism. Till date, the Goans have refused to allow this spark of communal tension to spread. The government is going out of the way to destroy this brotherhood. Is this (being done) to create a diversion from scams?” he asked.
Pointing out that several BJP MLAs in Goa took people to see the Hindi-film ‘Chhaava’, which is based on the life of Sambhaji, son of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, Sardesai said, “History is to be learnt from books written by historians. Devendra Fadnavis said in Maharashtra Assembly that violence in Nagpur occurred because people were instigated by this movie. And your MLAs are going and showing this movie.”
Muthalik’s entry in Goa was banned in 2014 – when Parrikar was the chief minister – after the former had announced his decision to set up his outfit in Goa and “fight against drug, alcohol and pub culture”.
The decision to impose a ban on Muthalik’s entry was based on police reports which said that the entry of members of Sri Ram Sene and its leader could lead to a law-and-order problem and his statements “will affect peace, harmony and create fear in the minds of the public”.