Mangalore, August 2: In the backdrop of increasing moral policing in the region, a senior leader of the women's wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has described the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada as the most insecure and unsafe district in the entire Karnataka.
“This is the most insecure and unsafe district, where a boy and girl are not allowed to go to college or travel together. They are attacked or questioned about their religious background”, said K.S. Lakshmi, General Secretary of the State unit of All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA).
Addressing a press meet here on Thursday, she vociferously condemned the recent attack on a homestay, where Hindu Jagaraga Vedike youths mercilessly thrashed boys and molested girls in the presence of media. The attack was a violation of their human rights, and could not be allowed to go unopposed, she said.
Venting out anger against the homestay assailants, she questioned their right to barge into a pub or a homestay and assault young girls in the name of 'Hindu culture'. “They do not have any right over their bodies. Who gave them the right to take the law into their own hands,” she questioned.
“These kinds of incidents are all interlinked with one another. The government should take stringent measures to check such incident,” she said.
She also lamented that the issue of brutal attack was deliberately being side-tracked by some vested interests. While focusing on some secondary issues like the licence of the homestay, the main issue of attack on young men and women is being side-tracked, she pointed out.
Lashing out at Home Ministry for its failure to check moral policing and vigilant attacks, Ms Lakshmi said that instead of assessing the situation and taking necessary steps, the administration had confined its responsibility to mere false assurances and promises. People have lost faith in the government, she added.
Support to TV journo
Criticising the police for their action against two television journalists who filmed the homestay attack, she said targeting journalists is a matter of shame.
Extending moral support to Naveen Soorinje, the reporter of a Kannda news channel, whose call to police reportedly went unanswered during the attack, Ms Lakshmi pointed out that while the media had been performing their duty responsibly, the police authorities hadn't. The police should acknowledge the lapse on their part, and take responsibility for it, she added.
She urged the Governor H R Bharadwaj to intervene and take appropriate measures to protect and uphold the integrity and of the state as the people of the state had completely lost faith in their rulers.
Meeting
Ms Lakshmi also said that AIDWA would be soon convening a meeting of litterateurs, artistes and the activists, who have faith in democracy to discuss various burning issues.
Members of the association Sukanya, Nalinakshi and Ramani were present at the press conference.
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