'I was asked not to talk to Christians or Muslims'

The rising hooliganism of Hindutva forces is now even a concern to Hindus.

Last week, an MLA's daughter studying in a Christian college in Mangalore, was attacked by suspected Hindutva activists, who beat her along with her male friend, a Muslim youth with whom she was traveling in a bus. Her only crime was that she spoke to a non-Hindu.

They later dragged the victims out of the bus and drove them to an undisclosed location. While the boy was beaten and severely injured by 10-20 Hindu radicals, the girl was instructed to keep away from Christians and Muslims. She was asked not to speak to non-Hindus because they are inhuman

The Congress has come out strongly against the Sangh Parivar outfits of "unleashing terror" in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, students and teachers of St. Aloysius Pre-University College staged a protest on the college premises, condemning the incident.

Addressing the gathering, President of the Federation of University and College Teachers' Associations in Karnataka A.M. Narahari demanded that those responsible for the incident be booked under the Goonda Act.

In another incident in the same state, on Jan 24, about 40 Sri Ram Sena activists barged into a pub and bashed up several girls for "violating traditional Indian norms". Sena president Pramod Muthalik and 27 others were arrested and are now out on bail.

Terming the Sri Ram Sena as a "threat" to the country, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said the Centre was watching its activities.

He condemned the activities of the outfit and said: "No organisation can become a self-styled police force. That cannot be allowed. Sena had already crossed limits. They cannot say what one should wear, one should eat or to where one should go."