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AFTER A brief lull in 2011 and the early part of 2012, incidents of moral policing and violence are back in the coastal town of Mangalore, Karnataka. Situated between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, the town with a population of just under 5 lakh, has been a hotbed of aggressive Hindutva nationalism ever since the 2009 pub attack case, when members of the Shri Ram Sene vandalised a local pub and beat up the customers there in the name of moral policing.
Four years later, not much has changed. It has been three months since local journalist Naveen Soorinje was wrongfully jailed on charges of conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting with deadly weapons, criminal trespass, causing grievous hurt and assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty.
Soorinje’s crime? On 28 July 2012, he had captured on video camera a similar attack, this time on youngsters having a party in a private homestay. The whole nation was stunned with pictures of goons belonging to the Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) — an outfit affiliated to the Sangh Parivar — roughing up young boys and girls, some even molesting the girls.
Whereas the Karnataka High Court cleared Soorinje of all the charges, it denied him bail simply for not having informed the police. On 31 January, following a campaign to free Soorinje, the Karnataka Cabinet cleared a note for dropping all charges against the 24-year-old scribe. As this article goes to print, it would have been a month since the note reached Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar for final approval.
Such attacks on the media are not a new phenomenon in Mangalore. On 5 February, the Karavali Ale newspaper had carried a story citing police reports that Keshav, an HJV activist, was the main drug peddler in the Surathkal area. Keshav is a known associate of Satyajit Surathkal, a big name in the HJV, and was arrested by the police with 650 gm of marijuana in his possession.
In response, HJV activists attacked the newspaper’s office, ransacking it and causing injuries to the staff. Two senior staff members had to be hospitalised. A week later, another staff member was waylaid in the dark and attacked with iron rods, sticks and other weapons.
This was not the first time Karavali Ale had been attacked. The paper used to come under regular attack from the Sangh Parivar when Soorinje was a reporter there. “The fear of another possible attack has reduced my staff strength from 20 to four,” says BV Seetharam, editor and proprietor of Karavali Ale.
Sudipto Mondal of The Hindu remembers the time when he came very close to being assaulted by the Sangh Parivar. “Subhash Padil, one of the perpetrators of the July homestay attack, was also part of the infamous pub attack in January 2009. He had once threatened to stab me with a trident,” recalls Mondal.
We definitely need a law to protect the hindus & muslims to marry without changing the religion. The children of such couples should be free to take up any religion they want to allege when they mature. otherwise one of the two in the spouse will remain dominant and the problem will continue in the years to come.
Funny how these hooligans term the feeble poor and Tribals as terrorists and Jangli. Such a shame for the civilized assholes. blame it on their fiscal deficit Phobia and corporate hangover. India is growing into a corporate Hindu fascist state. And Modi will deregulate everything, every sectorof economy to become american and not allow anyone to wear anything other than Indian Clothes. Such oxymorons man. We need asylums.
i’m against any kind of religious fundamentalism but why people are not condemning islamic fundamentalism all over India…right from Kashmir to else where in the world and so famous hate speech of OwaISI? Togadiya’s speech was nothing in compare to OwaISI’s hate speech!! pl. check it on net and correct your facts mr. Richard Rego!
the comments here show that Hindus are quite liberal for religious reforms and for accepting views of other religious people but muslim/christian friends here do not like to accept things sportingly when it comes to religious fundamentalism of their own religion.
Well said nikie!!!!!!
5OkM further south across the kerala border there are daily incidences of moral policing by Jihadi gangs.I wonder how your correspondent missed it. Any couple found in isolated places are being questioned by these goons and manhandled if the girl happens to be a muslim.Muslim girls have been warned not to venture out without veils.It is wrong to be short sighted in these secular policies.
Mangalore is instance where it has become the forte of Shri Ram Sene & VHP.
In the rest of India too VHP has been doing forced marriages of young couple on the Valentine Day, with no care or concern for the law, while the local law enforcing agencies have been blind to this aggression?
It pains me to read that my place of birth is in the news for all the wrong reasons.The senseless fights between communities in the name of moral policing is nothing but an excuse to establish the dominance over the area,so that they can roam around like a bull(Devereg Budthina Bori) or a Cock(Boothog Budthina Kori)which are relevant in inflicting the fear of the daemons in the otherwise poor simple people.This had started with the blessings of Aacharya the then home minister.His was not alone in transforming this society into a hate filled community.The ex CM Yeddiurappa was very much a part of this demented doctrine with a few others like C T Ravi etc.The young people like Padil,Sharan Pumpwell,& the Ramsene boys are financed to inculcate fear among people.This is not new as the Bhajrang Dal, Shivsene, MNS Khap Panchayat and many other radical groups which are very active in the name of god.This is because of the fundamentalist hate doctrine that these culprits pump into the minds of these innocent youth.Values, ethics & decency are long lost among the young.As if they are hypnotized they only see the enemy(shown by their masters)and attack.I would like to ask where are the moderate leaders like the type of Mr.Ramanath Rai? Still in their slumber? Aren’t they elected to be a part as the caretakers of the Constitution/Law of the land? Or are they have also turned “Napumsakas”? I cry for you my beloved Mangalore!
I would also request the writer to do an investigation on the moral policing done by islamic organizations in North Kerala.
Many hindu boys have been beaten up in the same way.
Love Jihad is real. The former CM of kerala has also indicated that the target was to change the societal balance vis-a-vis population ratio by marrying and converting.
Another worthwhile tehelka investigation would be the mysterious attacks on stray dogs in north kerala. Several dogs sport word cuts on their head and necks.
What a same everything happens before POlice stations? Is the police station become RSS Hindutva terrorist squads? Where is our ‘Hemandha Karakrae’ (Late ATS Cheif), Where is Sanjeev Bhutt. My Dear police please be fair. YOu are the real heroes, where you corage gone? Why you become addicted to religion hatred and sentiments…
In any history, no country ever succeded without the consent of , help of, true sacrifice of all the people of that country. Pariticipation of Hindu, Muslim , Chirstian and Sikh and all are necessary to build the nation which Our former Preseint APJ abdul Kalam dreaming for… Don’t be the victim of Hinduta terrorism. Please go and work for, Try to do something for the country to become the world power.
Shame on BJG and other of groups. We must never vote for these kind of people.
if u fully cover urself also they pull the burqa and if u dont cover up also they pull u then what should any one do this has nothing to do with religious just masti i the name of religion i m sure when they go home they will boast about themseleves how they pulled this girl and what all they did should do a STING operation on these hooligans
Is there any problem to call Hindu terrorist organisation…after all in India maximum attack conducted by Hindu fundamentalist organization….any way for us above quoted problem its daily routine….its cannot going to change until and unless there will be proper law and order….
Ho really can, list how many….
we did every thing in front media… not like u Muslims cowards …
you guys have holy ISLAM “THE RELIGION OF COWARDS”…
you are easy targets buddies coz they know that you r not VOTERS…..
Answer why we need VHP in India….
49 Million Hindus Missing from Bangladesh – US voiced for it but India is Silent!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_xIzUrkSiY
Another incident that is missing is when RSS workers raised Pakistani flag in Udupi
Here is the link
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=126614
Unlike the myths about Hindu presecution outside India that people like SRiram are using to support fascist and psedu-nationalist and even outright anti-nationalist groups like RSS. The truth is that the Sangh Parivar is that virus that is destroying India and Hinduism from within.
Learn from Bangladesh were the youth has stood up to politico-religious groups who use religion as a garb to fool people and do politics. When will we realise that we should reject groups like RSS that use religion only for political ends. Otherwise we will continue to have Drug dealers as Bajran Dal chiefs whose only goal is to beatup women and poor while threatening people to vote for BJP or other political party that can pay his price.
Its funny how Hindus above keep talking about Tehelka ignoring Muslim fundamentalism, its funnier that they are not aware that for decades that has been well covered by newspapers to the point that the media bias has put more Muslims in the dock. Seriously, Muslims are not even 12% of the population, why are we Hindus so scared of them, who is the real fundamentalist here, why are we Hindus so narrow-minded as shown by a lot of you above. I cant believe that you re actually asking Tehelka to go on the defensive or claiming that they are biased, when all they have reported is the truth. And please, whoever was that will you please stop with your Western influence nonsense.
As for the hooligans, its time we Hindus knew ourselves for the intolerant, unsecular people we really are