Meanwhile, members of right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal entered a prominent garden in Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar to register their protest against Valentine's Day celebrations and drove away couples sitting inside the park
Representational picture, File photo AFP
Shiv Sena (UBT) activists raised slogans against Valentine's Day celebrations and displayed oil soaked sticks to deter couples from celebrating the festival of love in public on Tuesday in Sagar town of Madhya Pradesh.
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A party functionary said activists did not get to use the sticks as youngsters got the message and stayed away from engaging in "objectionable behaviour" on the occasion.
A video of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) workers oiling their sticks and raising slogans against Valentine's Day celebrations went viral on social media.
“Jahan Milenge Bittu-Sona, tod denge kona kona” (wherever couples are found they will be given befitting treatment)," the party activists were heard shouting in the video.
A Shiv Sena functionary said Valentine's Day is a foreign festival and against Indian traditions.
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“We are opposing Valentine's Day as it is a foreign festival and a symbol of perverted mentality. As part of our protest, we deployed Shiv Sainiks at parks, restaurants and other spots to keep a vigil and stop couples from indulging in obscene acts,” Shiv Sena's Up Rajya Pramukh (deputy state head) Pappu Tiwari told PTI.
“The Shiv Sena is not against love, but against love jihadis who lure our sisters and daughters. India is known for the love of Mira-Mohan, Heer-Ranjha and Laila-Majnu but in the name of Valentine's Day, obscenity will not be accepted,” he warned.
On the occasion, a rally was taken out by party members from Makronia to Dr Hari Singh Gour University, he said.
“We didn't use the oiled sticks against anyone as youngsters got the message without using force. We didn't indulge in any violence. We are just against obscenity,” Tiwari added.
Meanwhile, members of right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal entered a prominent garden in Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar to register their protest against Valentine's Day celebrations and drove away couples sitting inside the park.
While the Opposition Congress strongly condemned the act, the Gandhinagar police swung into action and summoned Bajrang Dal activists involved in the protest against Valentine's Day, celebrated worldwide on February 14 as the festival of love.
In a video of the incident that went viral on social media platforms, nearly 10 Bajrang Dal activists armed with sticks can be seen shouting slogans and driving away couples sitting inside the Central Vista garden located opposite the Assembly complex in the state capital.
Shaktisinh Zala, convener of the Bajrang Dal's Gandhinagar unit, admitted the outfit's members entered the garden to register their protest against Valentine's Day, which he claimed, reflected "western culture".
He maintained the right-wing organisation was against show of "vulgarity" in the name of love.
"We were not harassing anyone. Bajrang Dal workers were only opposing western culture and people indulging in vulgarity in the name of love today. It is our duty to show the right path to Hindu youths and daughters. We went to the garden because our workers saw vulgarity there in the name of love," Zala told reporters when asked about the protest.
The Bajrang Dal functionary said his workers did not harass anyone.
"We are not against love. But, there can not be a day for love. We have not harassed anyone. Our workers only made the youths understand that they should not celebrate Valentine's Day. Who will make people understand this issue if not the Bajrang Dal? We register our protest against Valentine's Day every year" he added.
However, the Congress said no one has right to dictate to others and questioned the Home Department's "silence" over the matter.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, "This country is run by the Constitution. No one has right to decide what people should do or what they should wear or eat. People who send their kids to English medium schools preach to others about Indian culture. I am surprised by the Home Department's silence over this episode."
Taking cognizance of the protest, Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Tarun Kumar Duggal asked officials to take appropriate action.
"The Sector 7 police station (under whose jurisdiction the garden is located) has been directed to take action in the matter," said Duggal.
Sources said police officials have summoned protesters seen in the viral video for questioning.
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