``Ae loko jiti gaya, hame hari gaya (they have won, we have lost),'' said BD regional convenor Harish Surti. However, he didn't believe that the agitation has been a failure. ``Five girls have fled, but we managed to save eight others,'' he says, adding ``our campaign has brought awareness among Hindus''.

A more typical line was taken by VHP leader Kalaben Patel, who said: ``Varsha will realise her mistake once she is thrown out by her husband. Probably she has inherited it, but we will still accept her if she comes back''.

Meman, who had till recently been in custody under PASA, was released by the PASA board after Varshad appeared before it and deposed in his favour. Taking a bold line, Varsha claimed she had been harassed by Hindu organisations who had kept her in their custody in a bid to dissuade her from continuing her affair with him. From Bardoli, she was taken to a camp at Ahmedabad, where futile attempts were made to brainwash her into changing her ways. She managed to escape.