MANGALURU: IT is a victory for truth, Sri Rama Sene (SRS) chief Pramod Muthalik declared on Monday.He told mediapersons at Arya Samaj that the court’s order acquitting him and 25 others, accused in the sensational Amnesia pub attack, had exposed BJP’s fake hindutva and perverse mind of those behind the ‘pink chaddi’ and Congress leader Renuka Chowdary’s ‘Pub Bharao’ campaign launched close on the heels of pub attack. “After looking at the order copy, I will take the next step on filing a defamation case against BJP,’’ he said. Recollecting incidents leading to his arrest, he said he was in Pune when the youth had assaulted the girls and vandalised Amnesia pub on the morning of January 24, 2009.
On his return he was immediately arrested in Belagavi.
“If BJP or congress does something Mangaluru, will the police arrest Yeddyurappa or Parameshwara,’’ he asked and added that the arrest was a conspiracy hatched by BJP to crush his political growth. His arrest and subsequent year-long externment from the district by then BJP government was an unpardonable crime, he emphasised.
The protracted legal battle and four-year externment by Goa state has not forced Pramod Muthalik to rethink on the medieval-style diktats against what they believe is “cultural invasion.” Members will continue the campaign to close down illegal pubs. Defending the assault on girls, he said youth were acting as over protective brothers trying to prevent their sisters from having ‘loose morals’.
Muthalik recollected that during the pub attack he had tendered apology to victims on behalf of the youth. SRS chief admitted that the huge publicity given by english tv channels had made his SRS appear fearsome. Muthalik also said that K T Naveen, accused of murdering Journalist Gauri Lankesh, was innocent and would get best advocates from Mumbai to defend Naveen in the case.
the acquitted
Prominent among the accused acquitted included Prasad Attavar, Subash Padeel (prime accused in attack in Morning Mist stay home case), advocate Dinaker Shetty, Pavan (was the face of infamous attack for repeatedly hitting a defenceless girl), Jeevan Neerumarga, Harish Thodar, Dheeraj, Sachin Attavar, Ganesh Attavar among others. Sri Rama Sene celebrated the court’s verdict by disbursing sweets and bursting crackers at Arya Samaj.