Have moral busybodies blotted City’s image?

Have moral busybodies blotted City’s image?
DH News Service Bangalore:
Bangalore has enjoyed the status of a progressive cosmopolitan city courtesy of its IT hub, multicultural inhabitants, a large number of swanky restaurants and ritzy night clubs. But are things changing for the worse? Or better?

Following the Athena pub incident at The Leela Palace, where activists belonging to Karnataka Yuva Vedike ransacked the hotel premises as they felt “pub culture is not our culture and our tradition is going down the drain”, Deccan Herald asked a cross-section of Bangaloreans what they think of nightlife in the City and moral policing and if they felt the City’s image has taken a beating.

Many felt that as long as people do not disturbing anyone, “it’s an individual’s right to party, drink, dance or dress however they wish”.

But they added that Bangalore’s ‘pub city’ tag and its cosmopolitan flavour are “getting tarnished” by such incidents. There were also voices that felt that Western Influences were invading Indian culture and, by implication, must be stopped in their tracks. Here’s a sampling of what the denizens of the City think of the Athena episode:

Why stop it?

“It’s really stupid. If a new culture is coming into our country and a section of people are taking to it, so be it. It should not be stopped by force. Already the City’s image has suffered with demands for a seven-week moratorium on screening of non-Kannada movies. With this, it has further taken a beating.”

- Poorni, scientist

‘Flouting basic rights’

“If there is no law against partying, these individuals who take the law into their hands are infringing on our fundamental rights. Morality can’t be forced. This will create insecurity and spoil the City’s cosmopolitan image”

- Anish, software engineer

‘Good for our culture’

“What has happened is very good. People here are following Western culture; they hang out and drink till 1 am or 2 am. Those living here should follow our culture. Such incidents will not happen if they do. We support Kannada culture which is getting spoilt by Western influences.”

- Rajesh, GE Health Care

‘Going Mumbai way’

“With such incidents, Bangalore may as well be going the Mumbai way with Shiv Sena doing the same sort of moral policing there. Bangaloreans should stand up against such incidents and put a stop to it.”

- Neeraj, MBA student

‘Party at home!’

“However hard people work, where is the need to go partying till the wee hours? People go to clubs only for drinking. Rather, they should enjoy a movie at home to relax. But the Kannada activists should not have taken the law into their own hands”

- Mukund, Businessman

‘Not for girls’

“People work hard for their money, so they can spend it however they want. But I feel girls shouldn’t indulge in partying, staying out late, drinking; it’s fine if boys do these things.

In any case, what the Kannada activists did was wrong.”

- Ms Mukund, housewife