On January 24, 2009, the Sri Ram Sena attacked girls in a pub in Mangalore.[1][2][3] A group of 40 activists of the Sri Rama Sena barged into the pub "Amnesia — The Lounge" and beat up a group of young women and men, claiming the women were violating traditional Indian values. Two of the women were hospitalized. The video of the incident has become one of the most watched clips on YouTube.[4][5]
"Whoever has done this has done a good job. Girls going to pubs is not acceptable. So, whatever the Sena members did was right. You are highlighting this small incident to malign the BJP government in the state," said founder Pramod Muthalik.Shri Ram Sena's Response
Shri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik later apologised for the attack on weekend revellers at a Mangalore pub, saying the way the right-wing group acted "was wrong" but insisted it was done to "save our mothers and daughters". He was later arrested under IPC section 153 by the Karnataka Police.[11][12][8][13][14]
The Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa had said the Sriram Sena is not a Sangh Parivar outfit and asserted that stringent action will be taken against the culprits.[15]He also has ruled out banning the Sri Ram Sena even though the outfit’s chief admitted to wrong doing.[16][17]The Ram Sena chief has threatened a similar protest on Valentine's Day.[13]
Pramod Muthalik, a full-time RSS man earlier was the Karnataka coordinator of the Bajrang Dal four years ago. Soon he was expelled from the Bajrang Dal after which he joined the Shiv Sena and later he formed his own group.[5] Pramod Multhalik has over 45 cases pending against him.Most of these cases are still under investigation. A look at the chargesheet makes it clear that he has never been arrested for any of these cases.[18][19] Pramod even recently held a press meet in Bangalore to release the photographs of the members of Hindu suicide squad undergoing training in handling arms and ammunition to take on Muslim Jihadis.[20][21] According to Mutalik there are 1,132 members in the suicide squad.[22]
The Janata Dal (Secular) chief and the former PM of India, H. D. Deve Gowda on January 26 2009, accused Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa of being responsible for Talibanisation of Karnataka.[23]
The mayor of Mangalore filed an FIR against Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury for her reference to the Talibanisation of Mangalore. [24]
Toeing the right-wing group Sri Ram Sene Pramod Muthalik's line, Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa has said that pub culture is wrong and should not be permitted.[25] One of the woman victims of the attack on a Mangalore pub on Monday claimed that the Sri Ram Sena activists hurled abuses at them and called them prostitutes".[26]
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