BJP govt in Maha won't have any problem in banning Sanatan:

Image
Press Trust of India Mumbai
Last Updated : Sep 21 2015 | 8:13 PM IST
Amid growing demand for a ban on Sanatan Sanstha whose member was arrested last week in connection with murder of rationalist Govind Pansare, a BJP minister in Maharashtra today said the government would not mind banning it.
Police last week arrested Sameer Gaikwad, an active member of Sanatan Sanstha, an ultra-conservative Hindu outfit.
CPI leader Pansare, 82, and his wife Uma were shot by two youths in February this year near his house in Kolhapur. He died four days later at a Mumbai hospital.
"There will be no political implications if we ban Sanatan Sanstha and so we have no problem banning it. Our only contention is there should be enough proof which fits the criteria laid down by the High Court," a senior state cabinet minister told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
"The kind of Hindutva practised by Sanatan is ritualistic while ours is more scientific. So our agendas do not match at all," he said.
The minister also said that the arrest of a person belonging to a right-wing organisation when a government swearing by Hindutva is in power only meant that police had enough evidence. "If they did not have proof, they would have never arrested him," he said.
Interestingly, Shiv Sena, BJP's ally, vehemently supported Sanatan Sanstha in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' today, saying the allegation that the organisation was responsible for Pansare's murder was "laughable.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 21 2015 | 8:13 PM IST

Next Story