Kamat distances himself from his spokesman's comments

Kamat distances himself from his spokesman's commentsPanaji, Oct 30 : Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Friday distanced himself from statements of his spokesperson Thursday, accusing right wing Hindu organisation Sanatan Sanstha
(SS) of "breeding terrorism" and "dividing society".

Speaking to reporters at his official residence here, Kamat said: "I have not seen or heard the comments. I don't know if he said this."

Pressed for a response, Kamat said that he would "check what had been said".

The chief minister's official spokesperson Vishnu Wagh, who is also advisor to the department of information and publicity (DIP) had Thursday said that the contents of Sanatan Prabhat, the multilingual daily published by the SS, had the potential to "breed terrorists".

"The literature published in the newspaper is socially divisive and acts like poison in society," he said.

"Dainik Sanatan Prabhat has abused freedom of press for long now. They have consistently derided the system of democracy in the country. Their literature can easily breed terrorists," Wagh added.

Wagh, who specifically told reporters that he was speaking on behalf of Kamat, also said that the chief minister's office had been monitoring the activities of the SS.

If police enquiries prove that the Sanstha's agenda was indeed creating communal fissures in society, then a ban on it was likely, he said. (IANS)