Five frightened young women have remained at home since a 50-strong mob mauled, pawed, punched and kicked them and four young men — all college-going — who were partying in a secluded home-stay on the outskirts of Mangalore on Saturday. Despite growing anger and outrage across the state and the country over the role of saffron parties and sections of the electronic media which filmed the brutal incident, much as they did in Guwahati — and did not come to the help of the women, the ruling BJP refused to take strong action.
In a clear bid to put a lid on the uncomfortable questions that were being raised about the role of the BJP backed Hindu Jagran Vedike whose members include a number of criminal elements, and who led the hour long molestation of these young people, the ruling BJP expressed no regret, nor did it show any intention of tackling the menace. In a lacklustre reply in the assembly, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said that the government would not spare anyone involved in this act; But in the same breath, in a marked concession towards RSS frontal organizations, he refused to commit on whether the perpetrators would be booked under the Goonda Act.
Even Mangalore City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh has told Deccan Chronicle, his department is contemplating the possibilities of invoking Goonda Act. Refusing to accede to the opposition’s demands for the resignation of deputy chief minister, R. Ashok, Mr Shettar said, “Such incidents have occurred in the past too. Crimes like rape, molestation, dacoity and murders have occurred in the past so, there is no need for anyone to resign.