MARGAO: Independent MLA and Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado on Sunday called for a ban on the Sri Ram Sene from setting up its unit in the State.
The Fisheries Minister said Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik has no right to come to Goa and tell Goans what is right and wrong. “Who is Pramod Muthalik to dictate terms to us? Goans, irrespective of caste and creed, have lived in perfect communal harmony over the decades. Muthalik has no right to come here and dictate terms to us,” he asserted.
Incidentally, the Independent MLA from Navelim is the first non-BJP MLA supporting the Parrikar government who has come out strongly against Sri Ram Sene’s entry into the State. The Goa Vikas Party, which had in the past opposed Ram Sene’s entry into Goa, has so far not issued any statement, nor has Independent MLA from Velim Benjamin D’Silva.
PONDA: Requesting the government to ban the entry of Sri Ram Sene (SRS) in the State, Goa Pradesh Youth Congress State General Secretary Adv Varad Mardolkar has dared the controversial outfit to set its foot in Goa. South Goa Youth President Dayesh Naik and Adv Gautaum Bhagat, Mardolkar took strong objection to SRS Chief Pramod Muthalik’s challenge to the Goa government to show its power.
PANAJI: Surendra Furtado said that the government of Goa has to introspect deeply on whether Sri Ram Sene’s Pramod Muthalik should be allowed to set up base in Goa. His culture of spreading divisive tendencies based on religion is to say the least fraught with dangerous consequences for the various communities of Goa, who till today live in perfect harmony while respecting each others rights to choose the ways of living for which they face and pay for the consequences. Muthalik’s contention that he will distribute a copy of the Gita and a sword to each Hindu family clearly reveals his intention to foment violence and instil fear and divide Goans.
Furtado further opined that while it is perfectly right to distribute copies of the Gita as a form of strengthening Hindu religious fervor and can thus be justified, his intention to arm every Hindu family with a sword will lead to creating an atmosphere conducive to violence which will result in communal strife.
Further, Furtado added that should Muthalik set base and distribute swords, then as a means of self-defence the government should consider granting gun licenses en masse as a deterrent to this for the safety of others.
