Smita Pansare, daughter of CPI leader Govind Pansare who was shot dead in Maharashtra nine months ago, held right-wing forces responsible for the murder and blamed the politics of hatred and intolerance promoted by the BJP-RSS combine for such incidents.
“My father had openly campaigned against the ‘Chatur Varna’ system and many other social evils in society. His activism was not acceptable to the Hindu fundamentalists,” she asserted.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme here on Monday, Ms. Smita said a close look at the killing of Narendra Dabholkar, M.M. Kalburgi and many such intellectuals who strove for welfare of the masses through awareness meetings and literary works, suggested the involvement of outfits which had the blessings of the BJP and the RSS.
Sameer Gaikwad, the suspect behind her father’s murder, represented Sanatan Sanstha, which implemented “the divisive agenda” of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promised to take stern action against the killers (of Mr. Govind) but nothing has so far happened.
Ms. Smita said Shivaji Kon Hota (Who Was Shivaji), an extremely popular book written by her father that purportedly exposed the wrongful appropriation of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s legacy by Hindu religion did not go down well with the extremist forces. The book was a super hit with sales of over three lakh copies.
Many such popular works of Mr. Govind Pansare have apparently incurred the wrath of the Hindu fanatics, who disputed Shivaji’s secular credentials.
They were the ones who murdered progressive thinkers like my father who did a great amount of social service for no personal gain.
“If the idea behind their killing is to intimidate us, they are mistaken. We are making our efforts to bring about the kind of social awakening that is required to achieve inclusive development, with greater vigour. Only a collective fight against them will put an end to their reign of terror,” Ms. Smita asserted, while demanding that the masterminds be exposed.
BJP to ‘celebrate’ Godse death anniversary
The BJP and RSS are going to observe the death anniversary (November 15) of Nathuram Godse on a grand note. By doing so, they are sending a clear message that they have no regrets for what Godse, a staunch activist of RSS and Hindu Mahasabha, did in furtherance of their communal agenda, said Smita Pansare.
“Godse made several attempts to kill the Mahatma and success finally came on January 30, 1948.
The BJP had since been trying to disown Godse and it always refutes the allegations that Sangh Parivar was behind the murder. Now, being firmly in the saddle, the saffron party is preparing for the death anniversary next week, which is an affront to the peace-lovers”, Ms. Smita asserted.
