Image Courtesy: deccanherald.com

Under the pretense of defending Hindu women, Pramod Muthalik, the controversial leader of Sri Rama Sene who has been linked to the assault on women at a pub in Mangalore in 2009, has, this time made statements that are communal and inciting. Muthalik, a well-known Hindutva fanatic in Karnataka, has urged Hindus to venerate swords and keep them on display in their homes to defend their women.

A few days before his remarks, BJP lawmaker Pragya Singh Thakur was booked for advising Hindus to keep their kitchen knives sharp. Videos normalizing the use of weapons against minorities, such sticks and swords, are becoming more and more prevalent, indicating a concerted effort by the Right wing hardliners to polarize voters before this summer's Assembly elections.

On January 13, 2023, Muthalik was addressing a Hindu convention on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda Jayanti at Yadravi town, in Belagavi distrcit. Although we have included a video of his address below, we are unable to provide a transcript of the same because it was delivered in a regional language. As provided by the Deccan Herald, Muthalik had claimed that displaying a sword at home would not result in police officials filing any complaints and that the purpose of doing so was to defend women rather than to kill.

Referring to the festival of Ayudha Puja, a festival observed widely in south India a day ahead of Dasara — which coincides with Vijaya Dashami — during which people worship articles linked to their occupation or vocation, Muthalik said that it was better to worship swords than tools or books on Ayudha Puja, as provided by The Telegram. 

“We should worship swords instead of tractors, books or pens. We should display swords at our homes to protect our women,” Muthalik said.

As per media reports, no police complaints or FIRs were reported to have been filed up until the evening of January 14. 

The video can be viewed here: 

'Keep Swords at Home to Protect Your Religion, Country, Sisters': #PramodMuthalik to #Hindus on Jan 13.

Police have not yet initiated any action against Muthalik, the national president of the #ShriRamSene, for his #HateSpeech.#Karnataka #Kalaburagipic.twitter.com/GrlTbnLG8Q

— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) January 15, 2023

Prior instances of hate comments by Muthalik

Pramod Muthalik gained notoriety after some members of his right-wing group stormed a pub in Mangalore in 2009 and beat up young people, both men and women, after accusing them of acting in an "obscene manner."

After the incident, Muthalik, who was later arrested, stated that their actions were "aimed at safeguarding the women." The then Karnataka chief minister, BS Yeddyurappa, had said that Ram Sena had "nothing to do" with BJP or the Sangh Parivar.  With the BJP, Muthalik has had a love-hate relationship. He had experienced political backlash after the saffron party accused him of misappropriating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name to raise money. He had joined the Shiv Sena in 2005, after joining RSS in 1975, but he quit the party in 2006.

Other Hindutva leaders indulging in hate speeches inciting violence

Lok Sabha member and terror accused, Pragya Singh Thakur, had on December 25 urged Hindus to keep their vegetable knives sharp against perpetrators of "love jihad" — a claim made by the Sangh parivar according to which Muslims have all been planning to seduce Hindu women and force them into marriage in order to convert them. The FIR against the contentious politician was filed on December 28, on the basis of a complaint submitted by HS Sundresh, the Shivamogga District Congress Committee.

Sadhvi Aasthma Maa had given an interview at the Jantar Mantar Hindu Mahakumb, a video of which had gone viral on the internet. In this video, she had made statements similar to that of notorious hate offender Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, and was heard saying that it is important to keep weapons at home for your safety. She had further said that if someone comes to my house to kill me today, then if I do not even find a vegetable cutting knife at my house, then shame on me. She had then defended Pragya Thakur and had said that she did not say anything wrong. Shehad then reiterated that everyone should keep weapons in their house for their own safety.

Recently, state BJP president Nalin Kateel asked his party workers to talk of “love jihad”, and not small matters like roads and sewage, ahead of the Assembly polls. Sangh parivar outfits have been demanding a specific law, and a separate police wing, against “love jihad” in Karnataka.

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