Action sought against vedike leader

Philomena Peris, former Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, speaking at a meeting in Mangalore on Saturday to condemn the recent attack on a homestay at Padil. Photo: R.Eswarraj

While demanding criminal proceedings against Hindu Jagaran Vedike’s convenor Jagadish Karnath, speakers at a protest meeting in Mangalore on Saturday questioned the statements made by Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women C. Manjula regarding the recent attack on a homestay in Mangalore.

Koumu Souharda Vedike’s K.L. Ashok sought criminal proceedings against Mr. Karanth for his statement that those who were partying at the homestay were prostitutes. “There are videos showing this statement. The police should take note of it and book him for defaming the victims of the attack,” he said.

Former Chairperson of the State Women’s Commission Philomena Peris said Ms. Manjula was acting more like a Tourism Department official than a women’s commission Chairperson. “She is more concerned about the homestay than the attack. Who is she to ask for the background of the victims of the attack? Did we ask your background before your came to the post.” Ms. Peris said she was dismayed over Ms. Manjula’s lack of concern for the suffering of victims of the attack. If the accused behind the 2009 pub attack had been prosecuted such an attack would not have occurred, she said.

Former Minister Lalita Nayak said no organisation had any right to enter any premises and attack the people there. “Women have freedom to live the way they like and wear the dress that suits them,” she said.

Writer Jyothi Guruprasad said the attacked students were in a piquant situation and were not a position to understand what was moral and what was not. If the Hindu Jagaran Vedike was so concerned about upholding morality then why it had not talked about the acts of Excise Minister Renukacharya and former Minister Hartal Halappa.

Journalist Gowri Lankesh held Rashtriya Swamyamsevak Sangh responsible for the attack on the homestay. She said the vedike was among the organisations connected with the RSS that had been involved in creating disturbance across the country. The RSS and its affiliated organisations should be banned, she said. Lecturer Sabiha Bhoomigowda, activist Nagari Babaiah, Congress leader P.V. Mohan and National Women’s Front’s Chairperson Shaheed Tasneem spoke.