The Rent a Riot Brigade

Headlines Today – Tehelka Investigation (Un Edited Press Release from Headlines today)

A Headlines Today – Tehelka investigation unmasks the real face of Karnataka’s moral brigade, Sri Ram Sene. Headed by Pramod Muthalik, the self-appointed custodian of ‘Hindu culture’, Muthalik shot to fame through the infamous attack on the Mangalore pub last year when young, unsuspecting girls were assaulted and dragged out for what the brigade called ‘indecent behaviour.’’

But in a six-week long joint investigation, Muthalik, the same chief lieutenant of the Sri Ram Sene has been caught on camera accepting money from an undercover reporter who posed as an artist. After accepting a token contribution of Rs 10,000 “for his contribution to the cause of Hindutva,’’ the reporter discussed a devious proposal with Muthalik. He was a painter, he said, who wanted to shoot to fame and wealth like MF Husain.

The joint investigation exposes how Muthalik and his chief aides are willing to incite a riot for the love of lucre. As per the proposal discussed first with Muthalik --- who in turn put the reporter in touch with his aides – the Sene would help vandalise the ‘artist’s’ exhibition, at a sensitive locality, dominated by Muslims.

Sample this conversation:

REPORTER - main chahta hun sir mujhe popularity mile or popularity milegi to mera business bhi badh jayega... agar aap kahen to main ..aap mujhe ek dayera bata de ..ki itna kharcha aa jayega ……itne ladke honge …itna advo…matlab vakilon ka ..hum log to complaint hi nahin karenge ..kyunki wo to hamari understanding hai...to sir lekin ye hai ki aap mujhe jo batayenge main advance aapke yahan chod kar ke jaunga uske baad aapko kahunga ki ye sir pura aa gaya hai aub sir kaam kar do …..

Muthalik's ready response, “Mangalore main kar sakte hain …………..Bangalore


The next step was to fix the price. For this we were told to contact Pramod Muthalik’s trusted lieutenants. One was his deputy, Prasad Attavar, who was on the run from the police and the other, Vasant Kumar Bhavani was the head of the Bangalore unit.

We met Attavar four times...and only once as a free man... Soon after our first meeting he was arrested...but that was no hinderance. His clout is such that paying the right officials we could still freely meet Prasad Attavar inside the jail compound and we could still discuss on how the Ram sene could be hired to stage a riot.

reporter – 15 lakh dega hum aapko ….
Prasad- haan?
reporter – 15 lakh dega
Prasad- nahin wo main calculate karke …kal
We met Attavar twice at Mangalore jail and once inside the high security Bellary Jail.
Prasad- main aapko batata hun kitna paisa chahiye…..
reporter- Ladka kitna hoga …..?
Prasad- pachas [50]
reporter- 50 ladka hoga jo tod fod ….danga…..type…karega
Prasad- haan…………. bilkul……wo ye….sub kiya na …..pub ka……. Same aisa hi …..[Mangalore Pub case]
reporter- same…jaisa pub main kiya na …waisa hi tod fod …danga….
The most practical riot arranger was Vasant Kumar Bhavani, the Shri ram Sene’s Bangalore head. Vasant suggested the location and the timing and most chillingly, even suggested the name of a chief guest: BHAVANI - Mumtaj Ali ko hi bulayie na
REPORTER - Kisko ….

BHAVANI - Mumtaj Ali Khan …

REPORTER - ye kon hain …..

BHAVANI - waqf board ka minister hai na …..abhi

There was further evidence of the Sene's preparedness and calculated approach to protests and destructive violence. While discussing the aftermath of the attacks, when the ‘artist’ offered to not file cases against the Sene, Bhavani turned the suggestion down. If cases weren't filed against the attackers, people would suspect that the attack had been pre-engineered. It didn't matter if they would be hauled to court, said Bhavani. They were prepared to deal with such conditions and ‘artist’ would be handed instructions over how to deal with the legalities, once the attack had proven successful.

The investigations establishes how the self styled custodians of Hindu culture function. They fly the flag of public morality but are not averse to arranging a riot. They are not ideological custodians of ‘Hindu culture”. Their ideology, in fact, appears to be dictated by cold calculation of hard cash.

BOX

The cast of characters caught on camera

Pramod Muthalik,
President, Sri Ram Sene
Agrees to the undercover reporters proposal to rent a riot
Does not discuss monetary details because he says, “he has an image to keep”
Prasad Attavar,
national vice president Sri Ram Sene.
Owner of a security agency in Mangalore
Accused of working for underworld don Ravi Poojary
Accused of being involved in extortion cases in coastal Karnataka.
Vasantkumar Bhavani,
Bangalore city unit head of Sri Rama Sene.
Sene's defacto public relations man.
Fluent in English and Hindi… lives in Bangalore
He is the man who discusses the nuts and bolts of the rent-a-riot

Jeetesh
Head, Udupi Unit, Sri Ram Sene
Ex-RSS and Ex-Bajrang Dal
Charged for murder of a moulvi
Bragged about attacking 4 priests at a church
Bragged about attacking a Moulvi