By IANS,
New Delhi : Union Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhary Monday said that Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is answerable for the attack on women at a pub in Mangalore by members of a self-styled pro-Hindutva group.
Demanding an explanation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government, Chowdhary directed the National Commission for Women (NCW) to investigate the incident.
Activists of a group, calling itself Shri Ram Sena, barged into a pub Saturday afternoon and bashed up and molested a few young women for “violating traditional Indian norms”.
“The Karnataka chief minister is answerable for the attack. I will go to Mangalore, if required,” Chowdhary told a TV channel.
At least two girls were punched and pulled by their hair by the activists Saturday at the pub Amnesia – The Lounge in Mangalore city.
Critising the incident, Chowdhary said it was an attempt by the radical Hindu group to “Talibanise India” and it was unacceptable.
The attack on the girls has been widely condemned by activists, politicians and people from different walks of life.
Describing it as a shocking incident, NCW Chairman Girija Vyas said members of the self-styled moral brigade alleged obscenity by the girls, but were themselves found “misbehaving and molesting” the girls.
“All of them should be punished,” she said.
The national leadership of the BJP has condemned the attack and said the culprits did not belong to their party or the Sangh Parivar.
BJP president Rajnath Singh told reporters that he would discuss the matter with the Karnataka chief minister.
“The culprits must be booked and brought to justice,” Singh said.