[ Sajith M ]

The chief minister says “Attacking women-this is not part of our culture…if required, the government will invoke Goonda Act”. And while this is welcome indeed, it remains to be seen if the government will follow through on this promise. In the meanwhile, there seem to be some disturbing trends emerging here as we had the chief minister also saying “We will not allow pub culture in Karnataka”

Toeing the right-wing group Sri Ram Sene Pramod Muthalik’s line, Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has said that pub culture is wrong and should not be permitted. Yeddyurappa said that this (pub culture) was not a part of our culture and it led to unfortunate incidents like the one in Mangalore.

Makes one wonder which side of the divide is he really on…

On a lighter note, will we get to relive the glorious days of Khajuraho and Kamasutra? Well, they are also part of the culture, or aren’t they?

Posted under: City Life , Bangalore
Tagged with: Mangalore, Moral Policing

The incident last weekend in Mangalore, in which women were physically assaulted by a bunch of goons bearing allegiance to the Sri Ram Sene – a fringe right-wing outfit – simply because they chose to visit a pub is a matter of shame for the entire nation.

What culture are we talking of protecting? Is violence against anyone you can think of part of this culture? Is assaulting women also part of this culture that we talk of protecting? Does this culture endorse everything that happened at Mangalore?

Some people with a warped sense of Hinduism and Indian culture seem to be hell bent on imposing their view on the majority of people. And so far this intimidating tactic seem to be working with great effectiveness, thanks in no small part to our police force that seems to be virtually blind to everything that happens around it.

Incidentally, Mr. Pramod Muthalik please understand that culture cannot be static, rather it evolves with people. A culture that does not evolve with the times, simply dies. Indian culture is what India is now, it cannot be what India was 500 years earlier, or whatever else is it that you imagine it to be. If you prefer to remain a few centuries behind the rest of us, you are welcome to it; just don’t make everyone else do the same.

Posted under: Thoughts
Tagged with: Mangalore, Moral Policing