Goa lifts 10-year ban on Pramod Mutalik

The government of Goa has lifted a ten-year ban on Pramod Mutalik, the founder of Sri Ram Sene. This ban was originally imposed in 2014 by then-Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. The ban aimed to maintain peace and communal harmony in the state. Mutalik entered Goa this week and met with Subhash Velingkar, a former RSS chief. Velingkar praised the decision by current Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to lift the ban, claiming it was previously used to "appease minorities." The original restriction against Mutalik began after he announced in 2012 that Sri Ram Sene wanted to expand into Goa. Initial orders prohibited him from entering for 60 days but were continually extended over the years. In 2015, the Supreme Court dismissed Mutalik's request to lift the ban, citing concerns about his group's activities. Velingkar stated that for over a decade, the ban had been an unjust measure imposed without any wrongdoing by Mutalik in Goa. He highlighted that Hindu organizations have been requesting the government to remove the ban during their annual conventions. The removal has been received positively by some members of the Hindu community.