After receiving the ‘Best Youth Congress Worker’ award from the youth icon of the party, Rahul Gandhi, three days ago in Delhi, BV Srinivas’ joy was shattered as he returned to his home town Bangalore on Tuesday.

The man who shot to fame last Valentine’s Day by leading an attack on Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Mutalik and smeared his face with black paint, was thoroughly embarrassed as he and his party came under attack from the opposition and the media questioning the criterion for the award.

It may be recalled that outgoing Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committe (KPCC) president RV Deshpande who had condemned the act of Srinivas, had even assured his suspension.

Even as the news broke about the award, Pramod Mutalik spit fire at Congress leaders. “It is a shame that the Congress leaders have rewarded a person who indulged in hooliganism. The Congress has no right to invoke the name of Gandhiji. Now it is proved that the party encourages destructive activities and encourages violence,” he said.

However, Srinivas, during a chat with DNA, poured out his feelings explaining how all his good deeds had been eclipsed by one act of protest against Mutalik.

“It was a personal act and there was no role of the party in that attack. I did it in a fit of rage as Mutalik opposed celebration of Valentine’s Day.”

A talented cricketer, Srinivas has represented the state cricket team in the under-19 and under-16 categories. Being the secretary of Athens Sports Club, distributing track suits and kits for inmates of sports hostel at Kanteerava Stadium is an annual practice for Srinivas.

“I am really sad that all my good work in social service has been buried under the adverse publicity that I have received after the attack on Mutalik,” the Youth Congressman says with a tinge of regret.

Srinivas was one of the five Congress workers chosen from the entire country for the award in recognition of his achievement of playing key role in enrolling 14.5 lakh members to Congress in Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan and Puducherry.

“Rahul was extremely happy at my achievement as I targeted the youth in the age group of 18 to 35 as part of the nation-wide campaign to attract youth into politics,” he said.