Mangalore:
It has been one year since the attack on women in a pub in Mangalore by member of the Sri Rama Sena - an attack caught on camera and shown on television channels across the country.
A year after the vicious attack, the 30 accused are all out on bail and women say the situation is no safer.
"Thirty people were arrested and produced before the court, they were granted bail and are observing the conditions of the bail. Since that attack there has been a 180 degree turn - things are safe now for everybody in Dakshina Kannada," said Gopal Hosur, IGP, West.
Sri Rama Sena leader Pramod Muthalik, who was banned from entering Dakshina Kannada district after the attack, got a High Court stay on the order and can visit the district. And not everyone agrees that things are better now.
"I don't think it is safer at all. You have a newer form - 'love jehad' - so this is now entitling the state governments, police courts to intervene in who I choose to be with in public, who I choose to go out with, who I choose to marry. Of course it is not safer, in fact if at all it us much more intrusive," said Aarti Mundkur, of Fearless Karnataka.
The men responsible for this outrage are out on bail. The women who were attacked have hopefully put the trauma behind them and are getting on with their lives. But one year on, women remain as vulnerable as ever.
A year after the vicious attack, the 30 accused are all out on bail and women say the situation is no safer.
"Thirty people were arrested and produced before the court, they were granted bail and are observing the conditions of the bail. Since that attack there has been a 180 degree turn - things are safe now for everybody in Dakshina Kannada," said Gopal Hosur, IGP, West.
Sri Rama Sena leader Pramod Muthalik, who was banned from entering Dakshina Kannada district after the attack, got a High Court stay on the order and can visit the district. And not everyone agrees that things are better now.
"I don't think it is safer at all. You have a newer form - 'love jehad' - so this is now entitling the state governments, police courts to intervene in who I choose to be with in public, who I choose to go out with, who I choose to marry. Of course it is not safer, in fact if at all it us much more intrusive," said Aarti Mundkur, of Fearless Karnataka.
The men responsible for this outrage are out on bail. The women who were attacked have hopefully put the trauma behind them and are getting on with their lives. But one year on, women remain as vulnerable as ever.
