Jaago Mangalore to hold Protest March Against Padil Attack on Aug 16

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, August 10, 2012: Jaago Mangalore Association in cooperation with various other voluntary bodies is organizing a mass protest against last week’s atrocious attack on college students at Padil on Thursday, 16th August 2012. The protest march will be taken out at 4:00 p.m. from Jyothi Circle to Town Hall in the city, where a meeting will be addressed by eminent citizens.

“The unprovoked attack on teenage boys and girls at Padil is a deplorable blot on our democratic values which are enshrined in our Constitution,” says Vijaynath Shetty, the chief co-ordinator of Jaago Mangalore Association. “This outrageous trend of forcibly and illegally thrusting their bigoted opinions on hapless citizens in the name of ‘culture’ would not have happened if the anti-social elements behind the earlier attacks were not encouraged by the silence of the majority. It is high time we called the bluff and put an end to this repeated charade.”

Jaago Mangalore Association urges all conscientious citizens to participate in this protest march in large numbers and express their disapproval of such criminal activity. Protestors are further requested to wear Gandhi Cap, Black Band and carry a Torch to signify this peaceful protest.

It may be recalled that Jaago Mangalore Association had earlier given a call to the authorities to give satisfactory progress on the case and assure strict action against the culprits by 15th August, Independence Day.

While we congratulate the police on their success in promptly arresting 22 accused individuals, the recent unintelligible statements, followed by an equally shocking report submitted by the Karnataka State Women’s Commission Chairperson Manjula effectively indicting the victims and absolving the culprits raises serious doubts about the future course of the case.

“It is unfathomable what logic was used or what method of investigation was employed by the Karnataka State Women’s Commission in arriving at such a preposterous conclusion. Apart from completely deviating from their terms of reference regarding the enquiry, the commission’s lop sided conclusions have given rise to speculation about its motives and we appeal to the state government to maintain an impartial view and not be swayed by any such extreme influences.”