On the New Year Eve, the city of Bengaluru got ashamed when a crowd of unruly men molested many women who wanted to celebrate the arrival of a new year. These incidents happened in the crowded places of MG Road and Brigade Road, where a wild mob came and molested ladies. What’s more shocking is that nearly 1500 police officials were deployed in order to make sure that such an incident could not take place but the sad thing was that it all happened in front of the police officials and poor women could just run and shout for help.
In response to this mass molestation of women, the home minister of the state, G Parameshwara, said in a very casual manner that “these kinds of things do happen”.
On Monday, the state home minister said this to a TV channel,
“In events like New Year or Christmas Day, there are women who are harassed or treated badly. We take precautionary measures. But unfortunately, on days like New Year, a large number of youngsters gather on Brigade Road, Commercial Street and MG Road. And youngsters are almost like westerners. They try to copy the west, not only in their mindset but even in their dressing. So some disturbance, some girls are harassed, these kinds of things do happen.”
He further showed his insensitive side when he said,
“There are all kinds of people from different states and different cultures. We can’t say you have to only behave like this, you have to dress like Kannadigas. Night life is regulated every day but on a day like New Year’s or Christmas, definitely it has to have a different approach. Now we will look into this.”
Parameshwara has been criticized for his irresponsible and insensitive comments. He, very casually, held the women responsible for whatever happened with them and avoided the responsibility of catching the accused and punishing them. Many women were seen seeking refuge with the lady constables and police also agreed to the fact that it had happened. However, no action has been taken as no complaint is made and still they are checking the CCTV footage to catch the culprits.
Nevertheless, if we go by what the eye-witnesses have seen, these types of incidents have taken place in many locations in Bengaluru including VR Bangalore Mall. The mob was grabbing people and asking them to speak in Kannada and those who couldn’t speak Kannada were beaten very badly, while the police was a mute spectator in numerous locations.
A lady who happens to be an eye-witness said,
“I saw a woman shouting for help and another who took off her heels to protect herself. You can fight back if one or two people are trying to molest you, but when it is a mob, how do you fight back?”
It seems that after a change in name from Bangalore to Bengaluru, the public of the city needs a change in their mindset or the time is near when people who have come from other cities will shift to other places and Bengaluru will lose its sheen.
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