Goa MLA slams state for lifting ban on Pramod Muthalik, asks: ‘Is govt trying to finish tourism?’

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 was based on police reports which stated 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”.

For over a decade, the ban was extended after every few months by the district magistrates of two districts in Goa. Earlier this week, Muthalik entered Goa and met former Goa RSS chief-turned-rebel Subhash Velingkar in Panaji after the ban lapsed.

“He (Muthalik) had gone to the Supreme Court to get the ban lifted but the SC said they 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? It is clear that any confusion created will have an impact on tourism. Till date (sic), 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?” the MLA from Fatorda asked.

Sardesai said several BJP MLAs in Goa took people to see the Hindi-film ‘Chhaava’, which is based on the life of Sambhaji, son of 17th Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji.

“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 you MLAs are going and showing this movie,” he said.

The Congress legislator Carlos Ferreira, meanwhile, said that cases of communal hatred and violence were on the rise in the state.

Speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s Address, the Congress MLA from Aldona said: “There is growing intolerance in the state with clear indications of clear tacit support by the government”.

Ferreira cited a case of an FIR lodged at Mapusa police station last year, alleging that “a bunch of hooligans claiming to be members of Bajrang Dal” barged into the house of a Muslim family in Mapusa late night claiming “they had beef in their house”.

“I have charged (that) even the police trespassed, because they had no warrant. They opened the fridges, cupboards…and took out items and said it was beef,” he said.

Ferreira said the “goons” assaulted members of the family, and that the police ‘shockingly’ arrested the family members.

“Under the (Goa) Animal Preservation Act, 1995, there is a competent authority who can come and raid a house. That ‘competent authority’ are (sic) those designated veterinary officers. Even the police are not conferred with this power. Finally, the FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) report said there was no beef and no beef product,” he said.

The Opposition legislator said such incidents bring a bad name to the state and to the police force. “I have a right to eat what I want. And I have a right to keep what I want in my fridge or my home, as long as it is not prohibited. I have every right to choose what I can eat, what (how) I can dress and what I can drink…The police must remain neutral spectators,” Ferreira added.

He said there is a “new fad” where people run to file FIRs because somebody made a statement that they did not like.

Stressing that cases of communal tension were on the rise, Ferreira said, “This is going on in a systematic manner. Each time the feast of Saint Joseph Vaz is coming, there is this tension growing up. People who come forward…most of them are not even from Goa and they are creating this situation. If we have this kind of a situation, where people are attacking one another on this basis, we will also be affected internationally and we will lose out…and the tourists will not be coming here”.