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Valentine’s Day

Protests against Valentine’s Day by groups across the country deserve to be condemned. What right do the activists of the Shiv Sena, the Bajrang Dal, the Students Islamic Organisation and the like have to act as moral police, terrorising and humiliating couples, and “advising” the youth not to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Parties such as the Bajrang Dal which are out of work are seen and heard only on this day. What is unfortunate is that our governments do not find it necessary to rein them in, even though the protests have become an annual affair.

Arivendu Bhardwaj,

Gurgaon

* * *

Isn’t Valentine’s Day a healthy way of giving expression to one’s feelings? Just because it did not originate in India does not mean it is alien culture to be shunned by us. No culture will degenerate or country disintegrate just because Valentine’s Day is celebrated. One hopes the spirit of Valentine’s Day will thrive despite opportunistic interpretations by a few.

Bhamini Manthramurthy,

Chennai

* * *

Quite predictably, Shiv Sena workers went about targeting people, shops and vendors who had anything to do with Valentine’s Day. In Lucknow, Sena activists threatened to beat up couples found celebrating love. The clarion call to them to oppose Valentine’s Day came from none other than the chief himself. There is nothing wrong in the Sena’s desire to preserve our culture. But issuing threats? Political parties should concentrate on more real issues.

Nikhil G. Teggi,

Thiruvananthapuram

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