The killing of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar reverberated in Rajya Sabha on Thursday with members cutting across party lines condemning it and seeking a House resolution while a Congress member demanded banning right wing extremist “organizations like Sanathan Sanstha”.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Hussain Dalwai (Cong) said that merely punishing the killers of Dabholkar will not do and that “a ban should be imposed on institutions like Sanathan Sanstha, which justify violence”.
The Sanstha had on Wednesday denied its hand in Dabholkar’s killing.
“As there are some orgnisations among Muslims, there are some organisations there (among Hindus), like the Sanathan Sanstha on which it is necessary to put a ban as they justify violence,” Mr. Dalwai said arguing government does take action against Naxals because they indulge in violence.
He said Dabholkar, who was fighting against superstitions for the last 18 years, always used to receive “threats from some organisations”.
He said that Centre should support Maharashtra government’s proposal to ban such organisations.
Several members from Congress, JD(U), CPI(M), CPI and LJP associated themselves with the issue.
Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP) demanded that the House should pass a condemnation resolution this regard, a proposal, which got the support of the entire House including members from BJP.
“Our request is that a condemnation resolution is moved,” said CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien also noted that the entire House is on condemning the killing to which Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley and BJP’s Deputy Leader in House Ravishankar Prasad nodded.
“I will request the Chairman regarding it and he will take a decision,” Mr. Kurien said.
BJP member from Maharashtra Prakash Javadekar, who hails from Pune, said law and order has come to a naught in the state.
