Organisers bounce back

VADODARA, Sept 30: Three days after the Cops Group had to call off its Miss Vadodara contest following violent demonstrations by the Bajr...

VADODARA, Sept 30: Three days after the Cops Group had to call off its Miss Vadodara contest following violent demonstrations by the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, its young members have decided to go ahead and organise the show next week.

They also filed an official complaint 8212; their first 8212; against city Bajrang Dal chief Neeraj Jain, identifying him as one of those who led the attack against them on Monday.

Apparently wiser after the violence, they said next week8217;s pageant would be held in an open place, with no entry fees. 8220;We are getting the support of more and more people, including members of clubs like Rotary and Giants, doctors and lawyers. We8217;re determined to go ahead with the show.8221;

Signs are, however, that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad is not impressed with the resilience. 8220;Our stand will depend on what kind of show they hold. We won8217;t allow any exhibition of flesh. Only time will tell what we will do8221;, said VHP secretary Ajay Joshi.

City Police Commissioner J Mahapatra, when asked about the police stance on the Cops Group8217;s proposal, said, 8220;We will protect them. The freedom of expression is the fundamental right of citizens and everybody is free to express himself within democratic norms. Nobody can foist his philosophy of life onto others8221;.

Though the contest venue and date are yet to be finalised, the organisers have decided to take out a rally on Saturday and submit memoranda to the district collector and the police commissioner. 8220;The rally will begin from M S University and end at the Collectorate. We8217;ll also conduct an opinion poll simultaneously8221;, the organisers said.

8220;Who are they to give us lessons in morality? Tomorrow they8217;ll ask us to wear only dhotis and kurtas. Are we supposed to follow their diktats8221;, a youth asked. 8220;We dare Neeraj Jain to come and be one of the judges at the contest. We have accepted the challenge. He should also come forward8221;, said another youth.

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The contestants, who had to flee from the Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Gruh under the shadow of violence on Monday, too, appeared undeterred by the recent trauma. One of them said, 8220;We are not afraid. Our parents signed on the entry forms; they still stand by us. When they have no objection, no one else should. We won8217;t succumb to lukkhagiri.8221;

The organisers, however, admitted that Monday8217;s violence had left them worried. 8220;We were concerned about the girls8217; safety. I can8217;t imagine what would have happened if they8217;d been able to break down the door and barge into the auditorium8221;, one of them said. Both the contestants and the organisers, however, were strong in their criticism of the police. 8220;When BD leaders have issued press statements before and after the show, what more proof are they looking for?8221;, they questioned.

8220;We told the police about how youths had been hired from Chhipwad and Kishanwadi to disrupt the show twice: once a couple of days before the show and again an hour before it opened. But still, they did nothing8221;, they alleged.