The right-wing Shiv Sena, which earlier slammed radical Hindu outfits for the murders of eminent rationalist-thinkers in Maharashtra and Karnataka, has now derided suggestions that the fringe Hindu outfit, Sanathan Sanstha, ought to be banned in connection with the brutal murder of veteran Communist leader Govind Pansare in Kolhapur.
In an edit in its party mouthpiece Saamna , the Sena opined that it would render the investigation into Mr. Pansare’s murder “laughable” if Sanatan activist Sameer Gaikwad, arrested for his alleged role, were to be hanged without trial and the Sanstha banned as demanded by opposition parties, self-styled progressives and left-liberals.
‘Victory for real murderers’
“The real murderers of Dr. Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare appeared to have scored a victory by influencing the nature of probe in the direction of pro-Hindutva groups,” said the Sena, adding that while it strongly condemned the murders, it was ludicrous to malign the idea of ‘Hindutva’ in the process.
Mr. Gaikwad’s arrest in Sangli district last week, the first in connection with Pansare’s murder in February this year, was followed by several detentions of Sanatan activists across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa that brought the shadowy activities of the fringe Hindu outfit into sharp focus.
Veiled attack on Cong., Left
In a veiled attack on the Congress and Left parties, the edit castigated “phony progressives and secular-minded liberals” clamouring for a ban on the Sanatan Sanstha, remarking that they stood exposed “for what they truly were.”
“The opposition was often brutally dealt with in States where the Communist party once held power, but the party was never banned,” said the edit, rebuffing calls for ban on the Sanatan Sanstha.
‘Silence on Purandare issue’
The Sena, in its edit, further said that these very elements (read Congress) maintained a conspicuous silence when ‘progressive’, right-wing historian Babasaheb Purandare received threats to his life for his work on Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Despite being opposed to their ideology, the saffron party reiterated that it has been vociferously condemning the murders of elderly scholar-rationalists such as Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, Pansare and more recently, M.M. Kalburgi in Karnataka as “cowardly assaults” on the freedom of speech.
‘Go after real killers’
The edit exhorted probe agencies to find the real killers of Pansare rather than create a clime where the “adherents of Hindutva” were made to stand in the dock.
