LOUIS RODRIGUES
BELGAUM: Sri Ram Sene (SRS) workers burnt effigies of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and staged protests in many parts of Karnataka, as they condemned Parrikar’s decision to ban the entry of SRS supremo Pramod Muthalik into Goa.
SRS leaders along with activists have also resolved to inaugurate its branch in Goa at any cost, adding that Muthalik would defy the ban and would be present for the launch of the SRS unit in Goa.
Apart from taking up the matter at legal levels, SRS plans to intensify its protests in Karnataka and other parts of the nation to condemn the ban. Memoranda were submitted, effigies of Goa’s Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar were burnt and slogans shouted against the ban in Goa in major parts of Karnataka, while there were reports of incidents of SRS activists going berserk in about 30 places in Karnataka.
According to sources, effigies of Parrikar were burnt in Mangalore, Chikmagalur, Haveri, Dharwad, Bhatkal, Davangere, Kolar and other parts of Karnataka.
“Though the ban is against me, I am yet to receive a copy of the order, after which we will be able to take legal action,” Muthalik told Herald on Thursday evening. “I have also received phone calls from various Hindutva-vadi leaders and organizations from all over the country condemning Goa’s decision and expressing support to go ahead with our plans to start our SRS branch in Goa,” he added.
SRS though in maintaining secrecy about the date and venue of their proposed defiant launch of the outfit in Goa.
“Goa CM Parrikar is anti-Hindus, that’s why he dared to ban our entry in Goa,” SRS State Organiser Gangadhar Kulkarni told Herald.
Right wing Hindu organisation Sanatan Sanstha has termed as “sad” and “shocking” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s decision to ban Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik’s entry into Goa, even as the Salcete RSS chief sought to know whether the BJP government has gained anything by banning Muthalik’s entry.
In fact, the Sanatan Sanstha has called upon the Parrikar regime to reconsider the decision to ban Muthalik’s entry in both the districts.
Reacting to the government decision, Sanatan Sansthan national spokesman, Ramesh Shinde, who is in Goa since the last three days, said the government’s decision has been shocking for all Hindus in Goa. “The Indian Constitution provides for free movement of any person or organisation anywhere in the country to propagate each one’s views. We do not know why Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has taken such a decision in a hurry. The decision is indeed a sad and shocking one,” Shinde added.
Meanwhile, Salcete RSS chief Kiran Nayak wondered how the Parrikar government would gain by taking the decision to ban the Ram Sene chief in Goa.
