'Mangalore Pub attack was big mistake'

Remorseful Pramod Muthalik says after attack people became wary of him and refuse to give Sri Ram Sene space for office or other activities

Hindsight can be a cruel teacher. Ask Pramod Muthalik, chief of Sri Rama Sene (SRS). Almost two years after the attack on the pub in Mangalore, Muthalik refers to it as a big mistake and a public relations disaster.

Muthalik was in the city on Monday to commemorate the 61st death anniversary of Nathuram Godse, the man who shot Mahatma Gandhi.

Sene image spoiled
Gone is the defiance by which he justified the Mangalore pub attack. Referring to it as an image-spoiler, he said, "The pub attack was a big mistake. People are still wary about SRS and refuse to give space for its office or any other activities. Beating the girls in the pub was wrong andu00a0 uncalled for. It shouldn't have happened."

He added that incidents like the pub attack and the sting operation conducted by a television news channel had 'spoiled' the image of the Ram Sene.

In January 2009, about 40 Sri Ram Sene activists barged into the pub "Amnesia - The Lounge" at the Hotel Woodside in the busy Balmatta area of Mangalore. The activists beat up a group of young women and men, claiming the women were violating traditional Indian values. "I was in Pune when it happened. My mobile phone was dead. I was not taken into confidence by the activists. Later while returning to Belgaum, I came to know about the incident. I was then arrested on the state border and made to do 'jail yatra' for 15 days,"said Muthalik.

'Love jihad' tackled
When asked about Ram Sene's poster campaign against the alleged 'Love Jihad' incidents (see box), Muthalik claimed that it received good response. "We have countered the 'Love Jihad' forces at least in three districts like Belgaum, Bijapur and Dharwad.

Nearly 1700 girls have been 'saved' from the Romeo jihadis," he said.

Modi, don't change
Muthalik praised Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and insisted that he stick to Hindutva and should not try to be secular. "The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) should help and support leaders like Modi and Ramdev Baba," he said.