Goa CM waits for proposal to ban Sanatan Sanstha

Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat said on Sunday that he was yet to receive any proposal from state home ministry on ban on Sanatan Sanstha, a right wing Hindu organisation, under scanner for its alleged role in Margao blast.

"I cannot comment off hand… Home ministry has not yet moved any proposal (seeking ban on Sanatan Sanstha)," Kamat responded to a question in Panaji. The chief minister said that government can think of banning any institution only when Home Ministry puts up the proposal.

The Sanstha's role was suspected after its activists were allegedly involved in the Margao bomb blast and subsequent defusing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at Sancoale. The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has almost finished investigation into this matter and is expected to file chargesheet before Judicial Magistrate First Class at Vasco and Margao by May 17, 2010.

The investigation had zeroed in on four accused, Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Dilip Mangaonkar. While Talekar and Patil were arrested on November 17,2009, Ashtekar and Mangaonkar were arrested on November 10 and November 14, 2009 respectively. The accused were alleged to have been involved in the conspiracy to trigger serial bomb blasts on Diwali eve.

The NIA had claimed that the attempt was made to disturb communal disharmony in the state.Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Vasco has already granted bail to Vinayak Patil and Vinay Talekar last week as NIA has failed to file chargesheet despite having these accused for 180 days in the custody. Alleged members of Sanatan Sanstha Yogesh Naik and Malgonda Patil were killed while IEDs being carried by them went off accidentally at Margao whereas police had defused two Improvised Explosive Devices at Sancoale.

The demand for banning Sanstha was being raised from various quarters. The organisation was also alleged to have published literature intending to incite communal feelings. The state government had initially hinted at banning the institution but later relented. The Role of ministers within the ruling coalition was also being discussed as Transport Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar was found to have close links with Sanstha. Dhavalikar's wife is an office bearer on Sanstha's trust.