Mangalore: Students from several colleges all over
Mangalore supported the bundh call issued by the All College Students’ Union on
July 30, Monday, boycotted classes, and protested against the attack on a group
of students partying in Morning Mist Home Stay by moral police belonging to a
pro-Hindu outfit.
The police
prevented the students of St. Agnes College and Besant Women’s College from
protesting because prohibitory orders have been imposed in the city. University
College in Hampakatta also tried to organize a protest, but was stopped by the
police. 
St.
Aloysius College
The protest was most intense in St. Aloysius College as it was held within the college premises and had the wholehearted support of the teaching staff and management of the college. Principal Fr. Swebert D’Silva and Coordinator Judy Pinto were present.
Speaking
about the role of the media in encouraging the wrongdoing, Fr. Swebert said
that the media has handled the issue in the most irresponsible manner.
Furious students also expressed their
opinions on this incident. Alister of III B.Com. said that Mangalore has become
popular for the wrong reason and Akanksha said that traditional Indian dresses
can be more revealing and provocative than Western outfits.
Speaking
on the occasion, Fr. Francis Almeida advised students to carry lathis and
hockey sticks while attending parties, adding that all moral police must be
driven out of the state. He said that Section 144 has been imposed on the city
because the authorities are afraid that there will be chaos.
Several
students and teachers spoke on this issue, and it was observed that nobody has
lodged a complaint against the culprits yet.
Meanwhile, Venkatesh Prasanna, city crime
branch inspector, and Seemanth Kumar Singh, Mangalore police commissioner, are
keeping a close watch on the law and order situation in the city.-MT-
