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I'm Anna's biggest supporter, no role in attack: Ram Sene chief

October 13, 2011 20:12 IST

The Shri Ram Sene, which had been in the news following the infamous attacks on pub-going women in Mangalore in 2009, is once again in the spotlight.

'Sene' activists on Wednesday attacked prominent Supreme Court advocate and Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan, and also thrashed some supporters of Anna Hazare outside a Delhi court on Thursday.

However, Ram Sene supremo Pramod Muthalik remains unfazed on these reports, as he says he is the biggest supporter of Anna Hazare and would never do or get something of this sort done.

"I know there is another group based in the north which also goes by the same name. I strongly suspect that it is that organisation which is carrying out these attacks. I am aware that all the fingers are being pointed towards my organisation,   but let me be honest, we have absolutely no presence in Delhi," Muthalik told rediff.com.

"Our activities are nil over there and hence there is no chance that any of my boys could have carried out this attack.

Moreover, we are strong supporters of the Anna Hazare movement," he added.

"During the fast that he undertook I was one of his strongest supporters. Our organisation participated in every possible programme (to support Hazare's movement to press for a stronger Lokpal Bill) at that time, and hence, the question of us carrying out this attack does not arise at all," he said.

"According to me the party most affected by Anna Hazare is the Congress, since the Gandhian has decided to take this party head on. It is more likely that they could stage manage such an attack because they are the ones who have everything to gain if the Anna movement is silenced," he felt.

"I have decided not to react to the fact that the name of my organisation is being dragged into it. I am not filing any case of defamation. But yes, I would hope that a thorough inquiry is conducted, so that the name of my organisation is not taken up without a reason," he added.

Image: Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik

Vicky Nanjappa in Bengaluru