Goa CM rules out banning Sanatan Sanstha, says outfit can't be blamed for Pansare murder

Panaji: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday ruled out banning Goa-based right-wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha, which has come under the scanner for the murder of rationalist Govind Pansare. “Whatever is wrong is wrong. Just because there is suspicion on one person we cannot blame the organisation (Sanatan Sanstha) which he is associated with. It would be not be right to ban the entire organisation,” he told reporters. [caption id=“attachment_2443540” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar. Agencies[/caption] Sanatan activist Samir Gaikwad was arrested on 16 September from Sangli in Maharashtra in connection with Pansare’s murder, following which Congress and the NCP had demanded an immediate ban on the hardline outfit. “If the organisation itself had planned the crime, then the issue would have been different. The incident has happened in neighbouring state,” Parsekar, who heads the BJP-led Government, said. “Actually Maharashtra government should conduct a detailed investigation in the incident. Based on their report, we will take our stand on banning the organisation,” he said. Parsekar’s statement comes a day after his own party legislator, Vishnu Wagh, sought ban on Sanstha, which has its headquarters at Ramnnathi in North Goa district. Apart from arresting Gaikwad in connection with Pansare’s killing earlier in 2015, the alleged role of absconding Sanstha member Rudra Patil in the 2009 Madgaon blast is also being probed. Sanatan has ruled out its or Gaikwad’s role in Pansare’s murder. Eighty-two-year-old Pansare and his wife, Uma were shot at by two motorcycle-borne youths on 16 February, 2015, near their home in Kolhapur. Pansare died four days later at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai while his wife survived the attack, suffering injuries that crippled her. PTI