Sena is confused

The Shri Ram Sena shot to the national limelight following the attack on girls in a Mangalore pub. The outfit has been receiving flak for the horrific manner in which some of its activists attacked/molested girls present at the pub.

While most members do not seem to be apologetic about the incident, the Bajrang Dal reacted strongly to the attack. Karnataka Bajrang Dal chief Mahendra Kumar told rediff.com’s Vicky Nanjappa that the protest by the Shri Ram Sena was indecent and added that the outfit does not have the backing of the Sangh Parivar.

What are your thoughts about the Mangalore incident?

I have nothing against the issue. But the manner in which the activists went about it was wrong. It was an indecent protest and I condemn the manner in which it was carried out.

Sir you say that the issue was correct. What exactly do you mean by that?

Some girls do behave indecently in pubs and such behavior should be kept under check.

Fair enough. Does that mean that this right to keep a check on decency should be handed over to the Shri Ram Sena?

No I am not saying that. The government ought to do it. I urge the government to keep a check on indecent behavior by girls and act against it. If the government decides to act and take steps then there is no question of anyone having to interfere.

You mean to say that the Sena did not have to right to stage this protest.

That is not what I am trying to say. The question of right does not arise in a protest. Everyone has the right to protest. All I am trying to say that the manner in which they protested was wrong.

You too have been vocal about the manner in which girls conduct themselves. Do you have similar plans like the Sena?

No. We will never resort to violence. We are conducting awareness camps in colleges and telling girls about the importance of preserving our culture. Some girls who were found to be misbehaving have been warned. That is the extent we will go up to. Violence against women is a complete no for us.

If you notice Mangalore has become a hotbed for such incidents. First the church attacks by the Bajrang Dal and now this.

It is not fair to target the city. Such incidents take place in Bangalore too. But Bangalore is an ocean and many incidents are hushed up. Mangalore however is a smaller place and every incident ends up making news. Let me remind you that a similar pub attack was undertaken by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike in Bangalore some time back. But it did not become a huge issue.

Most members of the Sena are former activists of the Bajrang Dal. What kind of affiliation does the Bajrang Dal have with them? Do you fear that with such issues the Sena will become bigger than the Bajrang Dal?

The Sri Ram Sena was started by Pramod Muthalik, a former member of the Bajrang Dal. It is not a strong organisation across the state barring parts of Mangalore and Belgaum. The Sena is a confused organisation and they do not know in which direction they should be going. We do not fear that the Sena will become big one day. Moreover we are not affiliated in any way with the Sena and neither does the it have any backing of the Parivar.

There are allegations that the Sena is trying to Talibanise Karnataka. What are your thoughts about it?

The Bajrang Dal believes in peaceful co-existence. We cannot make this a Taliban [Images] state at any cost. All we want is that the law should take its course of action and if this happens then there will be no need for such confrontation and violence

A victim’s account

‘Tell me which girl would like to be assaulted in front of a camera and then be called a prostitute on national television,’ said a visibly-shaken victim of moral policing. She along with few other girls were assaulted by a gang of about 40 members of the Sri Ram Sena in Mangalore on Saturday.
One of the victims spoke to rediff.com on condition of anonymity and said that the incident had scarred their lives forever and that their lives will never be the same again.

The victim, a college student in Mangalore, recounted the horror while saying that it all happened in a matter of 15 minutes. By the time they knew what struck them, it was all over.

Sobbing uncontrollably over phone, she says, ‘We were treated like dirt and we did not even know what our mistake was. These activists barged into the pub and dragged us out while repeatedly calling us whores. They manhandled us, tugged at our clothes. It was most embarrassing for some of us who were wearing skirts.’

‘These activists pulled our tops and skirts, molested us and all this took place when the cameras were focused on us. I only wish that the media had blurred the faces while showing the video. All my friends and family members have seen what happened to me that day and it is going to take a long time before I could even venture out. I only hope that the government acts fast and ensures that we girls can walk around safely on the roads once again.’

An eye witness who shot a video of the entire incident also said, on condition of anonymity, that on Saturday a gang of around 40 persons came to the pub. They demanded that they wanted to witness what was taking place inside. However, the pub authorities did not permit them to enter at first. This enraged the mob and they started hurling abuses and it seemed as though the protest was turning violent.

The pub authorities then gave in and permitted the men inside. They barged into the pub and started chasing all the people inside the pub. I, however, do not recount witnessing anyone trying to molest the girls. These men kept hitting each and everyone, who was running out of the pub and in the bargain the girls also got hit.

Sena chief says these girls are his sisters

Last Saturday was a black day for Karnataka when a group of girls were beaten up and allegedly molested at a pub in Mangalore by a group of 40 men, reportedly members of the Sri Ram Sena.

The demand for the closure of pubs in Karnataka by the Sri Ram Sena reminds one of the famous argument advanced by C K Daftary, the former attorney general of India, before the Supreme Court, ‘A Republic without a pub in it will be a mere relic.’
The Sena, which has donned upon itself the responsibility of moral policing in the state, seems unapologetic about the incident. Sena chief Prasad Attavar says a big issue is being made out of nothing.

Attavar, who is now in police custody, spoke with rediff.com’s Vicky Nanjappa minutes before his arrest.

Do you agree that it is a shameful incident or are you proud of it?

I am not proud of it. It is a minor incident in Mangalore which has been blown out of proportion.

Girls were beaten up and also molested. Isn’t that cheap behaviour?

It is wrong. These girls are like my sisters and I would not approve of anyone raising their hand on my sisters. In a group when people react, things are bound to go wrong. But let me also remind you that this is an issue that has been blown out of proportion.

There is a BJP government in Karnataka and the Opposition would do anything to ensure that name of the government is tarnished.

This is the first time that such an incident is taking place. Hasn’t the Sena given Karnataka a bad name?

No. We have not given Karnataka a bad name. Some action was necessary and once again, I say the media hyped it and the Opposition took advantage of the situation. Such incidents have taken place in the past and such a big issue was never made out of it. Why are you singling us out?

You attack women and say that it is just hype. What sort of justification is that?

Once again let me remind you, the Sena’s policy is not to attack women. It was just a protest and in a group when people protest, at times, things are bound to go wrong.

It is clear that you are taking advantage of the fact that the BJP is in power in Karnataka and you think that you can get away with anything.

Please correct yourself and stop hurling accusations. The BJP is in power alright. But that does not mean that we are taking advantage of the situation. The government has cracked down on the incident and so many arrests have taken place. In fact, the government has given the police a free hand to act on the matter.

You say that the issue is being hyped up unnecessarily. Why would you stress so much on that point?

It all depends on the victim. In this case, the women are from well-to-do families and have strong financial backing. This is the reason they are able to go to power centres and argue their case.

There are so many atrocities being committed against women across the country and many of them are from the lower strata of society. Do such cases come out in the open? They don’t and this is for the simple reason that they cannot afford to do so.

Why don’t the likes of (Union Minister for Women’s Welfare) Renuka Chaudhary take up these cases too and make a big issue out of it? Let her fight against dowry and other atrocities, and if she does then I could call her fair.

Girls drinking in a pub is nothing new. Who has given you the authority to don the role of a moral policeman?

There is a need to preserve our culture and there is no denying that. In fact, we will continue to fight to preserve our culture.

Are you saying that women should go to pubs and drink, and do drugs in skimpy outfits? Does even Renuka Chaudhary approve of this?

I promise you that I will put an end to this fight if parents of these girls give the police an undertaking that they are fine with their daughters drinking and doping with skimpy clothes on in pubs.

Earlier, you said that these girls are like your sisters. You being the chief of the Sena could have stopped your men from misbehaving with these girls. Why did you keep quiet?

I was not in Mangalore when the incident took place. By the time I returned, the incident had already taken place. If I was around, I would not have approved of the misbehaviour with women.

Is this the first step by the Sena to make its entry into politics?

The Sri Ram Sena is not a political organisation. We are not interested in politics and we are not rowdies. We only preserve the values and culture of Indian society.

Once again I would like to say that it is a small incident which has been blown out of proportion.

They termed it as a spectacular attack

Terming the Mumbai attack as a spectacular act of terror, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba [Images] and Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence would have rewarded each of the Mumbai [Images] attackers Rs 2 lakh had they returned alive.

Intelligence Bureau officials told rediff.com that the LeT has a classification for terror strikes and attacks such as the Mumbai one are termed as spectacular acts of terror. The classification depends on the magnitude of the attacks and the extent of the damage caused.

The LeT has also classified the payments to be made to local and international terrorists. For instance, the Mumbai attackers were classified as local fidayeen and hence their payments were lesser compared to the international fidayeen. Indians who opt to be part of fidayeen missions are classified as international fidayeen, according to the IB.

At the time of recruitment, the locals are paid Rs 25,000 while the amount for the international fidayeen is Rs 50,000. Apart from this the locals are paid Rs 10,000 a month as against the Rs 15,000 per month for an international one. Once a local fidayeen completes a mission, he is paid Rs 250,000 as against Rs 300,000 for an international one. The reward for a spectacular act of terror is an extra Rs 200,000 in case of both types of fidayeen.

The LeT has also ensured that the families of these fidayeen are taken care of. The families are paid Rs 5,000 per month in case there is a death of a fidayeen. This amount too is the same in case of both types of fidayeen. Although the amount is fixed, the LeT has been very liberal in terms of the money to be paid to families. Sabahuddin, the LeT’s chief of operations in Nepal, said during his interrogation that the LeT always handed over money to fidayeen families whenever he requested them to do so. He also said that at the time of recruitment he was assured that his family would be taken care of for life.

The IB says that there is a deliberate attempt by the ISI to pay more to international recruits so that they are lured in easily. There is a deliberate attempt to outsource terror to ensure that the Pakistan link does not crop up.