He is the most feared and loathed of radical religious leaders to have landed in Goa in recent times. Pramod Mutalik, President, Shri Ram Sena is no stranger to controversies in Goa. His bold and defiant comeback in Goa and promises of reforming Goan society assumes significance in the view of the fact that the State made no moves to quell the fears of the minority groups in Goa. In a freewheeling interview in Hindi (listen to the audio recording online), Mutalik opens his “Plan Goa”.

 

The Goan: In 2012 you had said that you planned to launch Shri Ram Sena in Goa. What factors do you think delayed the launch?

Pramod Mutalik: Taking a decision on the state leadership of the Sena took a lot of time; then Parliamentary elections came, so the plan got delayed. There is no other factor for the delay.

TG: Why is that every time your name appears in Goan media, it turns out to be sensational? Why do you think people of Goa, especially the minority community in the state fails to understand you?

PM: As I had said before, people of Goa are afraid of me because they feel guilty. The guilt is because they indulge in all sorts of wrong things and they fear that if I come to Goa then I will expose them. So they want to stop me from coming to Goa. Also, I feel people of Goa misunderstand me as a violent person so they fear me, which is an absolutely wrong notion. I have visited states across the country like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh etc. But it is only in Goa that I have faced such intense protest. We are yet to inaugurate our unit here, we don’t even have workers in this state, and still this sense of fear and protests is beyond my understanding.

TG: Do you think because the Catholic community in Goa is highly organised that you are made to face such fierce protests?

PM: The Catholics in Goa are highly influenced by Portuguese but still why are they afraid of me? I think they are adopting wrong practises to convert people to their religion. They don’t want me in the state because they fear I can stop them from doing all sorts of wrong practises. Otherwise, minority groups are in every state and they don’t have any problem.

TG: To what extent do you enjoy Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s support in your mission to strengthen the Hindu Community in Goa?

PM: I started my career as an RSS ideologue. I have inherited all the structural and traditional values from the RSS. I am continuing the same RSS ideology only under a different banner.

TG: Are you suggesting Shri Ram Sena is a RSS group?            

PM: Not at all. We have only adopted ideology from the RSS. Otherwise we are not related to them.

TG: When you take up religious and social issues, do people from RSS ever convey their opinions to you over the matter?

PM: Shri Ram Sena doesn’t directly work under the guidance of the RSS.

TG: Now that you have come to Goa, what are the priorities which the Shri Ram Sena would want to correct in this state?

PM: For the whole country, Goa has an image of a place where everybody comes to chill. Goa also has various temples like Mangeshi, Shantadurga among others but youth of our country visit this state only for clubs, pubs, bars, beaches etc. We need to change this mentality of our youth and we will continue to work in that direction.

TG: Don’t you think the 15 lakh population of Goa should have the freedom to live their life in a manner they want to. Why should they allow you to change their lifestyle?

PM: Goa is an eternal part of India. I am just trying to bring about a change. Our Hindu culture is a supreme culture. We do not belong to the bar, club or pub culture. It destroys not only youth but the whole society. I have to intervene and stop this menace.

TG: Do you hold both Hindus and Catholics responsible for creating this culture in Goa?       

PM: Hindu community is getting attracted towards this alcoholism culture. Only Catholics are not responsible for menace like sex, drug mafia, wine mafia etc. Hindus are also getting lured in these activities due to the money involved. I have to stop this. I want to ask Catholics whether Christianity gives freedom to indulge in sex and drug activities. I want to appeal to the good people in the Catholic community to safeguard youth from this evil.  People of Goa should be concerned about their image.

TG: What is the roadmap of Shri Ram Sena in Goa?

PM: After inaugurating our organisation in Goa, the first thing we will do is conduct a membership drive. Then we will file RTI to expose the illegal business and activities conducted in the state. We will not break the law but will work under the law. I read in a newspaper that government is banning snake venom trade. Then why they want to ban me? I want to help the government and the police in banning such activities. By putting a ban on me the government is indirectly supporting the sex and drug mafia.

TG: In 2012, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had said he will not let you enter Goa. Then few months back he denied your entry in the Bharatiya Janata Party. What do are the differences between you and the CM?

PM: It is not done by Parrikar, I think there is someone else from Karnataka who is hiding behind Parrikar and doesn’t want me to rise in my ambitions. Not Parrikar. The leaders from Karnataka are playing games with me and I know who they are. They only inform Parrikar about my movements. Next time I come to Goa I am going to meet Parrikar with full documents of my work and what Shri Ram Sena has done in other states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka over the years. If Parrikar wants to ban me he can but before that I want to expose all the people who are misguiding him about me. I want to tell that I am a pure, transparent revolutionist. I am not tainted with any accusations of corruption, rape or murder. No one should oppose a man like me. I will tell Parikkar all this; I haven’t spoken to him yet.

TG: Both the CM and you come from a Sangh background. Still both of you fail to understand each other?

PM: We will clear all the misunderstanding between us. Next time I will come to Goa to especially meet him and will explain to him ‘Who is Pramod Mutalik’.

TG: Will you meet the CM before Shri Ram Sena’s inauguration in Goa?

PM: No it is not like that. My meeting with him and Sena’s inauguration in the state are two different things. We are determined to begin our operations in Goa in September this year. No power can stop us.  I am a citizen of this land of ‘Bharat Mata’; it is my constitutional right to open and operate from any part of this country. 92 cases were filed against me out of which only 18 are existing today. All the cases are bogus. Like Goa Congress leader Durgadas Kamat filed a petition in the court that police be asked to file an FIR against me trying to incite communal violence in Goa. Similarly, Congress has falsely filed all the cases.

TG: Tell us about Sena’s protests against the Valentine’s Day, which is every now and then discussed whenever you are in news?

PM: We are against celebrating Valentine’s Day and will always be. We will protest the day in Goa also. The practise can’t be stopped in one year. Protests and action needs to be carried out every year. In Karnataka we have stopped the celebrations by 40 per cent. 80 colleges in Karnataka have written to me thanking for my efforts against Valentine’s Day. Students have stopped celebrating the day due to fear generated by the Shri Ram Sena. I have given records of how many rapes and kidnappings take place on Valentine’s Day and that sales of condoms rise by three-fourth on this day. Is this what Valentine’s Day is all about? Previously on Valentine’s Day, each college going girl was proposed by 10-12 boys with flowers and chocolates. We stopped that. Even parents and women organisations have thanked me for the efforts. Girls are also happy that Pramod Mutalik’s Shri Ram Sena has come as a saviour for them. I wish to spread this image of the Sena in the entire country.

TG: But it is been said that sale of condoms also increases in Gujarat during Dandiya celebration. Why doesn’t anybody speak against that?

PM: Dandiya is a tradition. You should not compare it with Valentine’s Day.

TG: But the sale of condoms rises during that celebration also?

PM: Youth are going in wrong direction. We can stop them.

TG: After you commence your operations in Goa, will you oppose Valentine’s Day in the state in 2015?

PM: We will request all the schools, colleges, hotels and lodges in the state not to allow Valentine’s Day celebrations. We will distribute pamphlets educating them about the ill-effects of the day. Slowly and gradually we will make them realise how wrong it is to celebrate this day. We will stop when people become aware. We will not indulge in any violence and will not break the law.

TG:  Both Catholic and Hindu communities in Goa have also lived together in peace and harmony. But now Catholics are worried that your ‘gau-raksha’ (saving cows) campaign in the state will lead to tension between both the communities?

PM: Centre made a law against ‘gau-hatya’ (killing of cows) in 1964. We are fighting for the same law. The law also talks about how to transport these animals which is openly violated. We will spread awareness of this law in Goa. We are not against eating meat we want to prohibit people from eating cow meat.

TG: Two weeks back The Goan had done an interview of Dr Charudatta Pingale who is national guide of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS). Dr Pingale had then expressed his reservations about Goans supporting Portugal teams during sports events and was displeased over people’s relations with the Portuguese. Do you endorse his views and think these issues are of any importance?

PM: Goa is an Indian state. The Goans can maintain good relations with the Portuguese but they should not continue the Portugal culture in the state. Catholic community in Goa is Indian so they will have to obey the Indian Constitution. No other lifestyle or culture will be allowed.

TG: Would you personally be willing to meet the heads of the Catholic community?

PM: Until and unless they don’t stop eating meat, doing conversions and start singing the national song and chanting Vande Mataram in schools and colleges I will not meet them. I have also heard they sing their own patriotic song in schools. I can’t meet people who are destroying the traditional culture of India.

TG: Shri Ram Sena started as an aggressive force. Today after so many years into existence has Sena mellowed down to be working as an intelligent campaign leading organisation or is it the same aggressive violent force?

PM: We are same. We will request people to follow the law but still if they continue with the anti-social practises then we will fight. We will turn to our own means if anybody refuses to listen to us. We will not spare anybody who tries to pollute our culture and traditions. We are not bothered by any government. It is the government which turns a blind eye towards such activities. We have the right to fight for our country. Hang us if you want to. We are ready to die for ‘gau-raksha’; we are ready to die for protesting against religious conversions; we are ready to die for ‘Bharat Mata’.    

Read more here-  http://www.thegoan.net/Goa/The-Goan-Grill/%E2%80%98We-will-turn-to-our-own-means-if-anybody-refuses-to-listen-to-us%E2%80%99/08234.html