JOIN USIn what is a clear case of moral policing, BJP Karnataka unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel has demanded that all pubs be shut down in Mangaluru, the main city in the constituency he represents in Lok Sabha, as they are “spoiling” the youth. Addressing party workers, Kateel who took pride in stopping the operation of clubs earlier, cautioned that if the government does not act, he would urge the youth wing of the party to take legal action. Coming as it does from the state chief of the ruling party, the warning cannot be dismissed lightly as direct action by vigilante groups is all too familiar in this district, be it the attack on a pub, or a homestay on the grounds that youngsters from two different communities were violating “Indian culture” by partying together. Kateel’s statement on pubs which appears to be an indirect prod to such elements to take law into their own hands is despicable and deserves to be condemned.
While the sale and consumption of alcohol are not prohibited in Karnataka, the Constitution gives every citizen the right to pursue the vocation of his choice as long as it is legal. The liquor industry employs thousands of people and generates business worth millions, not to mention that the excise revenue accrued to the state exchequer is to the tune of around Rs 20,000 crore annually. A legally run business cannot be told to wind up, that too by a lawmaker, because he believes it is 'bad for the youth’. Youngsters, especially women who are the targets of vigilante groups, are perfectly capable of managing their lives and nobody has the right to impose their regressive mindsets on them.
What people eat or drink is their personal choice. By indulging in moral policing, Kateel is doing great injustice to coastal districts, once considered progressive due the large number of educational institutions and entrepreneurial spirit of the local population, but now seen as a hub of rabid communalism perpetuated by fringe elements. Mangaluru which is strategically located with a harbour and proximity to Mumbai could have emerged as one of the biggest commercial centres of the South, but the fair name of the coastal districts is so sullied by self-appointed conscience keepers of the society that business houses would think twice before investing there. Vigilantism has emerged as the biggest curse of the coast and if the reputation of the region has to be salvaged and once again made attractive to investors, Kateel and his ilk need to watch their words and actions.