Zeenews Bureau
Mangalore, Jan 27: Shri Ram Sena chief Pramod
Muthalik today apologised for the attack on weekend revellers
at a Mangalore pub, saying the way the right-wing group acted
"was wrong" but insisted it was done to "save our mothers and
daughters".
"The way has been wrong. I apologise for this. The way
should not be like that. But it is our right to save our
mothers and daughters," he said.
"Pub-culture is not our culture...Media should
highlight and show the aim behind our act to the society," he
said.
Muthalik denied his affiliation with the BJP and said
he was only working for Hindutva.
"I am not connected with the BJP. We are working for
Hindutva, to save Hindutva," he told a news channel.
Muthalik, 10 more arrested
Muthalik, the founder-president of Sri Rama Sena whose arrest was being hotly demanded across the country was finally booked and taken into custody but ironically for an old case of inciting communal disharmony.
The Sena Vice President Prasad Attavar and 10 others were arrested, however, for thrashing weekend revellers, taking the number of total arrests to 27.
The police picked up Muthalik, a former VHP leader,
soon after he addressed a press meet here at which he
virtually defended the attack in the name of "our culture". Muthalik was arrested under IPC section 153
The state police confirmed Muthalik’s detention in Belgaum, north Karnataka.
"Yes, we have arrested him in connection with a case pending against him in Davangere (a district in central Karnataka)," Sonia Narang, Belgaum police superintendent, told media by telephone.
Asked why he was not detained for the Mangalore attack, Narang said: "We do not have any request from Mangalore. Once we get it, we will detain him (on that count)."
Since the case against Muthalik is registered in Davangere, he will be handed over to the police there, she said.
Muthalik was away in Maharashtra when a group of 40 people bashed up young women in a Mangalore pub. Sri Rama Sena claimed responsibility for the attack.
Its Karnataka vice-president Prasad Attavara and 26 others have been arrested for the Mangalore attack.