Lohia Maidan meeting calls for ban on Sanatan

The Citizens for Secularism and Communal Harmony on Thursday demanded that the government immediately ban Sanatan Sanstha by sealing the premises and freezing their assets. At a meeting held at Lohia Maidan here this evening, a speaker Dr Francisco Colaco warned Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to either ban Sanatan or be prepared to the face the people of Goa. The meeting demanded that the government should probe the Margao blast thoroughly and with due diligence. Congratulating the role of the Goa Police, the meeting demanded that the police be given a totally free hand in the probe and not to allow any sort of political interference.

A resolution was adopted to scan the antecedents and past activities of the Sanatan Sanstha and investigate their possible links with other extremist organizations, and check the possible involvement of Sanatan is other anti-social activities, particularly the spate of temple desecrations.
The meeting also congratulated the people of Goa in general and Margao in particular for not falling prey to be evil designs of creating communal discord and expressed confidence that Goa will remain united in the face of all provocation.

In his address, Adv Uday Bhembre said all the circumstances points towards the involvement of Sanatan Sanstha in the bomb blast incident and demanded not just the immediate ban on the organisation, but the arrest of Jayant Athawale and Virendra Marathe in the case. "Athawale has written in Sanatan Prabhat that there is no other alternative, but to either become a naxalite or a terrorist. This means he has been preaching violence", Bhembre said and demanded to know what evidence is the government waiting for when the activists involved in the blasts and the two-wheeler involved in the blast is owned by a Sanatan activist. Charging the government for playing safe on the issue, Bhembre also criticised Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar for creating confusion by demanding CBI inquiry.

In his spirited address, Dr Oscar Rebello said that Goan society will not accept divisive and sectarian ideology of hate in the State and expressed confidence that the ordinary Goan society will give a befitting reply to divisive forces. "Hindu is a progressive religion. I am convinced the ordinary Hindu society will reply to these forces", he said. Saying the time has come for introspection by everyone, irrespective of religion, on the politics and ideology of hate, Dr Rebello underlined the need to tackle the politics of hate at the family level by all communities.

Dr Francisco Colaco called upon the government to maintain vigil on all organizations and urged the people of Goa to unitedly defeat the evil forces.
Calling for a ban on the activities of Sanatan Sanstha in the State, Dr Colaco said that the Chief Minister should not hesitate to ban the organisation or be prepared to face the Goan people.

Jawahar Barve of the Rashtriya Seva Dal demanded that the Ramnathi Ashram of Sanatan Sanstha be sealed. He also demanded that the government should conduct narco analysis test on the top brass of Sanatan Sanstha in connection with the bomb blasts.

In his address, Convenor of the Citizens for Secularism and Communal Harmony Mohandas Lolienkar said let the Sanatan Sanstha get itself exonerated in the court, but the government should immediate ban the organisation. He also appealed to the politicians to keep aside their differences and allow the police to conduct free investigations to get to the root of the incident.

Prashant Naik, Pradeep Kakodkar, besides Shridhar Kamat also addressed the meeting.