Goons who attacked students at the home stay enjoy political patronage: Vinay Hegde

Goons who attacked students at the home stay enjoy political patronage: Vinay Hegde

Mangalore Today

Mangalore, August 5, 2012: Goons who attacked students at the home stay enjoy political patronage, adding that the incident has more to do with rowdism than with religion said Vinay Hegde,Nitte University Chancellor. He also said that young boys and girls work hard and have the right to enjoy their lives, adding that this incident should be taken seriously if attacks on students should be prevented in future. He was speeking on an occation ’Arise Mangalore’ organized by the Chamber of Commerce, Social workers, business community and elite citizens of Mangalore to condemn the Hindu Jagarana Vedike attack on students in the Morning mist Home stay at Padil.

Advocate Asha Nayak urged the female victims of the home stay attack to file complaints against their assaulters under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Speaking about the action that needs to be taken to bring the wrongdoers to book and to avoid such incidents from taking place in future at a session held by Arise Mangalore today, she said that Section 354 requires victims to file molestation complaints.

 

Ms. Nayak said that, even if one of the female victims steps forward and lodges a complaint, the assaulters can be punished. Speaking about her experiences with police cases, she said that the police sometimes do not accept complaints, in which case a written complaint can be submitted to the judicial magistrate under Section 200 of the CRPC.

Latha R. Kini, former president of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said that the people of Mangalore, though known for their intelligence and education, keep quiet under such circumstances and never take any action. She also said that she doubts the patriotism of those who assaulted students at the home stay, adding that she is sure they never pay the taxes, which is essential for nation building.

Unity Health Complex Chairman Dr. C. P. Habib Rehman said that people need to respect other’s faith if they want others to respect their faith, adding that the attack on women at the home stay was shameful.

Naren Koduvattat, MD of i-Point Consulting Services, said that entrepreneurship development is possible only in an environment of safety and growth, adding that Mangalore can grow economically only through the knowledge sector. He expressed confidence that Mangalore can still attract people from other cities and develop in spite of these attacks.

Walter D’Souza, chairman of the Federation of Indian Export Organization (FIEO), said that saffron elements would not have had the courage to engineer such an attack if strict action had been taken against them after the church attacks of 2008.

Expressing her views on the issue, KMC student Medha said that no one has the rights to tell students how to live their lives.

William Pais, Yathish Baikampady, and Vijay Vittalanath Shetty also spoke on this occasion.

Dr. Ajay Kamath, coordinator of the event, said that memorandums will be sent to the governor and chief minister of Karnataka.