‘I’ve Nothing against Women’

Last week, when Rame Sene Chief Pramod Muthalik attended a debate on Valentine’s Day in Bangalore, a pair of Congress workers blackened his face with ink. He reacts in an interview with Open.

Last week, when Pramod Muthalik, chief of the Sri Ram Sene, attended a debate on Valentine’s Day in Bangalore, a pair of Congress workers blackened his face with ink. The incident comes a year after Muthalik’s group rampaged through a pub in Mangalore and thrashed its women customers. The old bachelor reacts:

Q Isn’t it similar to what you and your men did last year in the Mangalore pub incident?

A That is a different issue.

Q After your face was blackened, your men attacked public property all over Karnataka and caused Rs 2 crore worth of damage.

A There is no proof. It was done by someone else.

Q Why are you against celebrating Valentine’s Day?

A Indian culture is being systematically eroded and replaced by Western culture, which is frivolous and anti-Hindu. Women drinking, dancing or smoking is definitely not the culture of our great nation, but borrowed from Christianity. There is a big drug and sex lobby working here, which is harmful in the long run. They have vested interests, and even the media gets taken in. We have nothing against couples who are in love. In fact, we will help them get married.

Q Do you have any problem with women?

A I have nothing against women. I have remained a bachelor because of my RSS background. I decided to dedicate myself to nation-building and remained single. I am 55 years old now, and even if I meet the right woman, I cannot accept her as a life partner simply because I am not in the age group where men marry. I am too old. I am happy to continue as a bachelor.

Pramod MuthalikSri Ram SeneValentine’s Day