BJP’s spin to pub attack leaves rivals flummoxed

The Congress and the JD(S) are afraid talking in favour of drinking places may cost them the support of conservative voters

BJP's spin to pub attack leaves rivals flummoxed

The Congress and the JD(S) are afraidu00a0 talking in favour of drinking places may cost them the support of conservative voters

Taking a stand: The pub attack in Mangalore has sparked a national debate, but some political parties are sitting on the fence File pic

"With our national leaders talking against pub culture, how can we attack BJP's fundamentalism?" wondered a prominent Congress leader. "On the one hand we have to sound like liberals, and on the other, we must ensure that conservative voters do not desert us."

Ashok Gehlot, Rajasthan chief minister and senior Congressman, has spoken out against 'pub culture', and so has Anbumani Ramadoss, central health minister.

A JD(S) leader said his party was not bothered about the row. "Pub-goers are after all upper class urbanites.

Honestly, tell me how many of them come and vote?" he said, belligerently.

He argued there was no reason his party should make a statement, either for pub culture or against it.

Right noises

But when MiD DAY called the top opposition leaders, they made the appropriate noises against the vandalism in Mangalore.

"We are protesting against the BJP's nexus with the Sri Rama Sene. We have effectively exposed the government's double standards," said Mallikarjuna Kharge, senior Congressman and leader of opposition in the assembly. He said Yeddyurappa was talking against pub culture and at the same time allowing pubs to mushroom.

Different issue

"Campaigning against alcoholism and protecting civil liberties are entirely different issues," said Rani Satish, president, State Women'su00a0 Congress. "We will not allow the BJP to take advantage of this controversy," she added.

In Deve Gowda's party, the official mood was similarly righteous. Milind Dharmasena, general secretary of the JD(S), said, "We must use the pub attack issue to strengthen our secular credentials."u00a0
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Pecos: different scene
Elongoven, partner of Pecos, says most people confuse most places with a discotheque or a pub. But at Pecos, we follow the ground rules of a pub. We have not suffered due to the recession nor the alarm over pub culture. We still have a flow of our loyal customers.

what's business like for pubs and wine shops?

This will curb B'lore's spirit
Ananth Narayan, owner of Nyks and Fusion lounge: "Our sales have fallen by 25 to 30 per cent since New Year's eve. In the last three months, the cops have made our lives miserable. The CCB has started raiding pubs regularlyu00a0 to check if there is dancing and if there is, they have even gone to the extent of locking up the DJ. Then we have to pay bail and get them out. There have been threatsu00a0 and activists keep saying that all discotheques are illegal and licences are not being given. This will definitely curb the spirit of Bangalore."

We will lose everything
Partner of F. bar and kitchen, Shibu Thomas: Our business has fallen by 20 per cent. There are several reasons for the downslide: the slowdown, ban on dancing in bars and most crucial, the 11.30 deadline. The government does not understand that no other industry has surpassed the figures that come from this business. At the end of the day, Bangalore is an international city, and we get visitors from all over. If they don't understand this, we will lose everything. Morale is anyway low. The last thing people want is to be told of deadlines.

Life goes on for small shops
Wine shops seem to have fared better. Business is down only very slightly but, by and large, life goes on.
A wine shop-owner at Southend circle says that one of the reasons is that it is far more economical. "You can get a quarter here for what you pay for a peg in a pub." Another shop-owner in Hoskarehalli says that old customers keep coming back. Also, "wine shops in the city have a problem u2013 there are more police checks but since this is slightly out of the way, people can have a drink and push off home quietly."

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