PANAJI
Goa witnessed the return of Sri Ram Sene founder Pramod Muthalik, who made his first public appearance in the State in over a decade during the Sanatan Shankhnaad Mahotsav. This visit follows the decision by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to lift a long-standing ban that had barred Muthalik from entering the State.
The ban was initially imposed in August 2014 by the late ex-Goa CM Manohar Parrikar amid concerns over potential communal tensions. Muthalik, known for his hardline Hindutva views and controversial statements, was repeatedly denied entry through a series of prohibitory orders extended continuously for more than ten years.
At the event, Muthalik expressed his gratitude towards Sawant for revoking the ban, describing it as a correction of a “past mistake.” He said, “For 10 years, I was banned, but now the Chief Minister has lifted the ban, and I want to thank him. It is because of him that I got to come to Goa.” He added that the previous ban stemmed from misconceptions about him and acknowledged that the same government was responsible for both imposing and lifting the restrictions.
The ban was first enforced following Muthalik’s 2012 announcement about Sri Ram Sene’s plans to enter Goa. The district magistrates of North and South Goa initially issued 60-day restraining orders, which were extended repeatedly over the years. In 2015, Muthalik challenged the ban in the Supreme Court, arguing that it violated his fundamental rights and that his visit was for religious purposes. However, the apex court dismissed his petition, stating that Muthalik and his associates were involved in “moral policing” and that the orders were necessary to maintain peace in the state.
The Supreme Court upheld the ban after the Bombay High Court also declined to intervene, supporting the Goa government’s measures to preserve communal harmony.
