Mangalore: Twist - HJV Denies Hand in Resort Attack, Blames it on Padil Residents
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Jul 29: In a fresh twist to the incident relating to attack on boys and girls at Morning Mist Home Stay resort at Padil on Saturday July 28, the Hindu Janajagarana Vedike (HJV) on Sunday Jul 29 denied any involvement in the assault.
Refusing to take responsibility for the incident, convener of HJV Jagadish Karanth told reporters at a press meet at Hotel Woodlands here that the name of HJV was unnecesarily dragged into the issue.
"The assaulters were not wearing any headband or carrying any banner claiming allegiance to HJV, hence they cannot be branded as members of the Vedike," he said.
He further pointed out, "There were hundreds of women standing outside the resort supporting the activists, but the HJV has no women's wing."
He chose to shift the blame on Padil residents and said that it was they who carried out the attack. Subhash Padil, a member of HJV, was present not as an activist of the Vedike, but as a resident of Padil, he clarified.
He came down heavily on the sex mafia in the city and said that the residents of Padil were irked with activities in the resort which he called a 'prostitution centre'.
"There is a sex tourism racket behind the incident, which was prevalent in countries like Thailand before. Those who have money and want to enjoy come to Mangalore. The district administration should take measures to eliminate such practices," he said, adding that even though are so many police stations and resources to handle crime, the police are silent on such issues.
"Innocent and poor girls are pushed into prostitution. This has to be stopped," he said, urging the government and the police system to keep a check on spas, resorts, pubs and home stays.
On the current issue, he said, "No girl involved in the resort incident has come forward to file a complaint. This alone shows who is right who is wrong."
"In the name of home stay, the owner of Morning Mist was encouraging prostitution and should be booked, and the administration should take stringent action against him," he said, adding, "A girl is not an object to be sold for a price. We will not tolerate it at any cost."
"Instead of keeping a check on illegal activities, everyone is putting the blame on HJV," he added.
"Henceforth, HJV will keep a watchful eye on pubs, live bands and resorts," he declared, promising to bring the issue to a 'logical end'.
He also called for a rule wherein those who stay at resorts should compulsorily produce photo identity cards. CCTVs should also be installed in resorts, he added.
To a query, he said that HJV had given written complaints about such incidents to the government several times, but to no avail.
HJV members Kishore, Shashikiran, Dhananjay and Vasudeva Gowda were present.