Ram Sene's Pramod Muthalik Claims Threat to Life from RSS Leaders, Fears 'Togadia-Like' Fate

Bengaluru: Shri Ram Sene founder Pramod Muthalik, who hit headlines after the 2009 attack on Mangalore pub revellers, has said that he faces a threat to his life from former RSS colleagues — days after VHP leader Pravin Togadia made similar explosive claims.

In an exclusive interview to News18, a visibly shaken Muthalik said, “I know my enemies well. Congress, Communists, intellectuals etc are my enemies. But they are known enemies. They work against me. I am worried about my own people who can harm me. They are good at backstabbing. What happened to Pravin Togadia might happen to me too.”

Directly blaming the RSS, the radical Hindutva leader said, "The top leader of the RSS in Karnataka, Mangesh Bhende, does not like me. He has the backing of former chief minister Jagadish Shettar and Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi. They don't want me in north Karnataka.”

“My own people are after me. They don't like my popularity. I am worried,” Muthalik, a one-time Sangh leader, said. “They don't like anyone getting name and fame. They have a 'slave' mindset. I have achieved so much with them and later without them. Because of that, I was forced to leave the organisation.”

Launching an all-out attack against the RSS, Muthalik said he had "wasted" 40 years of his life for the RSS and was disillusioned now. “There are thousands like me. But they can't do anything now. RSS leaders talk about Hindu unity. They don't like their own people. How will they achieve unity then?"

He, however, reiterated that his faith in Hindutva was intact.

Muthalik was a firebrand leader of the RSS and Bajrang Dal in Karnataka before he quit to form his own radical outfit called Sri Rama Sene over a decade ago. Soon after formation, members of his radical outfit attacked revellers at a pub in Mangalore.

Muthalik recently joined the Shiv Sena as its Karnataka unit chief. He said the Sena would be contesting in 50 seats in assembly elections this year and will “teach the BJP a lesson”.

The state BJP and RSS leaders declined to comment on Muthalik's charges.