Press Release

Mass movement to follow if authorities are unable to ensure freedom and security to citizens by Independence Day

Mangalore: JMA is deeply pained by the despicable act of brutality on a group of teenage boys and girls at Padil, Mangalore on 28th July 2012.

“I find it terrible that young boys and girls were beaten up by anti social elements,” said Vijaynath Shetty, Chief Co-ordinator of Jaago Mangalore Association. “We have all witnessed the horror on TV. Slapping a woman is not justifiable under any circumstances and I strongly condemn this trend.”

It is ironic that the attackers who were acting in the name of morality and public decency were themselves behaving in the most perverse and indecent manner. It would be a mockery to believe that such persons can be capable of upholding the ideals of Indian culture, our holy scriptures, Ramayana and Mahabharatha which advocate the highest respect for women.

“The earlier pub attack has brought disrepute to Mangalore all over the world. When I visited USA some time back, I introduced myself as a Mangalorean to an American gentleman. Hearing the word ‘Mangalore’ the American immediately said, ‘Is that not the place where girls were beaten up in a pub?’ I had to cut a sorry face and I was terribly embarrassed and upset,” says Vijaynath Shetty. “Earlier Mangalore was famous for education, healthcare, commerce and industry. Incidents like these are bringing a bad name to this very cultured region.”

The reason why such incidents keep recurring is because the perpetrators of the crime know that they can go scot free. Though only a small group is responsible for this, they are able to hold the city to ransom only because of the silence of the quiet majority. Hence it is high time that we, the citizens, stood up to this menace and curbed its cancerous growth.

People who disturb social harmony should realize that we live in a free country where all citizens enjoy certain constitutional rights. Taking the law into one’s hands is not correct. Taliban style moral policing is a perversion that should be nipped in the bud. Jaago Mangalore Association demands that all the criminals responsible for this incident should be brought to justice.

Furthermore we demand that a full scale investigation should be conducted to determine the root cause of such recurrent happenings and whether they enjoy political motivations and high level backing. The citizens have a right to enjoy peace and security. Whoever is responsible for this evil, however powerful or highly placed, should be brought to book.

“The miscreants arranged for TV crew only because they want to gain publicity. We should not allow anyone to get any publicity or political mileage out of such crass behavior,” Shetty said.

We urge the government and the authorities to furnish the public with satisfactory results within 15 days, i.e., by 15th August Independence Day – the day which symbolizes our freedom as citizens of the country.

If the authorities are still unable to arrest all the culprits and assure the public that such incidents will not happen in future, we plan to launch a mass awareness drive and protest campaign to sensitize the people against being taken for granted.

Jaago Mangalore Association urges the citizens to be united in facing this challenge to their civil rights, which the law is supposed to protect.

Issued by Vijaynath Shetty, Chief Co-ordinator, Jaago Mangalore Association

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