Govt to step up vigil on Valentine’s day : Home Minister

Mangalore Today

Bangalore, Feb 12 : Bracing itself to counter the threat by right wing Sri Rama Sene to disrupt Valentine’s Day celebrations, the BJP government in Karnataka on Friday directed police to step up vigil at all sensitive places.

’’We will maintain vigil. Those celebrating Valentine’s Day should not cross the limits. Same rule applies to moral policing too,’’ State Home Minister V S Acharya told reporters here after holding a meeting with top police officials.

 

The meeting comes in the wake of some youths, allegedly belonging to the Youth Congress, blackening the face of Sri Rama Sene founder Pramod Mutalik here yesterday.

"I condemn such attacks. Congress should restrain their workers", Acharya said, referring to the incident which occurred when Mutalik was getting ready to take part in a debate on Valentine’s day, organised by a local Kannada TV channel in an open air theatre.

The youths barged in the event and dragged Mutalik from the stage and blackened his face and also tried to assault him.

"It is (V-Day) not our culture. The culture of some other country should not be imposed on us", Acharya said, but immediately added that his remarks should not be labelled as opposition to Valentine’s day celebrations.

The state has sizeable population which supports moral policing and its critics, he said and pointed out that none had come forward to lodge formal police complaint even today over the attack on girls at a pub in Mangalore in 2008, allegedly by Sene activists.
"Even visual media has not been cooperating in providing evidence", he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who held a meeting with DGP Ajay Kumar Singh, told reporters that he has directed police to take stern action against those who try to disrupt law and order.

"The government will not tolerate any attempt to disturb peace and tranquility", he said.
Yeddyurappa said he has sought a report on yesterday’s attack on Mutalik and said the guilty would be punished.

The Chief Minister said he would present a report on the performance of his 18 month old government in the legislature session, commencing from February 25.

"I have asked all departments to compile the report and submit it soon", he said.