PANAJI
The Congress party has urged the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to ban visit of Maharashtra's Hindutva activist, Sambhaji Bhide, known for his controversial and provoking speeches, who is set to address a gather in the coastal state on August 24.
In a press statement issued, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Vijay Bhike, in a letter to the CM, has said that presently religious tensions are witnessed in the state and hence Sambhaji Bhide should be restrained from entering the state.
Bhide will deliver a talk on the topic “Contribution of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in the protection of Hindu religion, its mutts and temples, and restoration of temples destroyed during the Portuguese regime at Davorlim-Margao.
“Presently communal situations are taking place due to various religious issues, be it desecration of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or placing of goddess idol in Church premises. In this backdrop, it would be wise to make an attempt to restore the peace and harmony in the state,” the letter read.
He said that allowing a person like Sambhaji Bhide to address a gathering would only lead to more communal tension and disturb the communal peace and tranquility in the state.
"There is also a very high possibility of eruption of communal riots which may lead to aggravating the prevailing communal tension and will result in irreparable and irreversible loss, as Sambhaji Bhide is known for his provoking speeches and in the present background it appears to be that he is coming here with intentions to create disharmony,” he further said.
The letter also states that “There are a number of cases filed against him in different parts of Maharashtra for making provocative statements against national leaders which you can verify.”
“It is in the interest of the state to ban him from visiting Goa and maintain peace and harmony which is in your good hands. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Pramod Muthalik is banned from entering Goa for similar behaviour which was also endorsed by the High Court directive in this regard,” Vijay Bhike further said in the letter.
