Who among us would not have felt a sense of shame watching the Shri Ram Sene goons attack young, defenceless girls whose only 'crime' was sitting in a pub and having a drink? The scenes of them being pulled by their hair, dragged out, kicked and pushed about were an affront to all that we as civilised humans and Indians stand for. What is more, the miscreants and their deeds were caught on camera, not because there was a clandestine videographer in the vicinity but because the Sene had themselves invited TV channels to the place.Which means, they were proud of what they did and wanted some credit for it! Can anything be more sick?

And of course the excuse they trotted out is the usual one--"drinking is against Indian culture." Of course they did not explain if bashing up women is part of Indian culture.

This Indian culture bit is a big humbug. This is not the place to give a long lecture on what constitutes culture, but the way the word is used and abused must be clarified. Culture is composed of many things--traditions, rituals, food, clothing, attitudes; all contribute to the cultural uniqueness of apeople. The informal way in which people address their elders in America is part of their culture; no one minds it because they understand where it comes from. Some of that has crept into our discourse in urban India, where it is more acceptable than say in a small Indian town. If you don't like it, you can make it clear; but you cannot pick up a rock and throw it on the other person.

Culture may be unique; values are not. And there is no society that countenances hitting women--that is uncivilised and brutish behaviour everywhere. The Shri Ram Sene thugs are trying to not spread all kinds of canards--the "girls were loose"(as if that again justifies hitting them) to "there was a sex-racket going on." But the plain simple fact is that they are criminals who must be throw behind bars and tried for their crimes. A much-vaunted part of "Indian culture" is respect for women; the forces of Hindutva never tire of reminding us that. Well, that myth has just been demolished. The question is, will the BJP government do the right thing and try the Sene instead of condemning pub culture and almost giving the goons an excuse for their misbehaviour?