Valentine's Day blossoms in India, former protesters have change of heart
As India gears up to mark Valentine’s Day today, erstwhile protesters to this 'horrible import from the West'- appear to have turned neutral, and even sympathetic, to the idea of Valentine's Day. While it might take a while for the love breeze from the upscale streets of south Bombay to travel to the interiors of Madhya Pradesh, you cannot deny a new wind is blowing in India this Valentine's Day. When you are not sure if something is right or not, you are in a moral dilemma. When you are not sure if you are fighting something or not, you could call it a quarrel dilemma. That is what some Hindu right-wing groups seem to be in as India prepares to celebrate Valentine's Day, which, in the thoughts of protest groups, is a horrible import from the West to corrupt the nation's youngsters.But winds of change are blowing, as erstwhile protesters – at least some of them -- have turned neutral, and even sympathetic,
to the idea of Valentine's Day. This has understandably caused dissensions and cracks in the ranks of those who in the past seem to have rejected the saying by American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, "All the world loves a lover�. Those who had tried to stop couples from saying it with chocolates, flowers and romantic dates in the parks, universities and shopping malls of India are having a change of heart, at least in parts. Mumbai-headquartered Shiv Sena is now a pale yellow version of its former saffron self. It has clarified the party will not oppose Valentine's Day and pointed out that a man leading protests against the annual kootchie-kooing festival in UP had been expelled by the party. In fact, Aditya Thackeray, the latest scion of the dynastically inclined party, has asserted it is "absolutely not party line" to oppose V-Day.Er, that is a case of no love lost between former comrades, but the average UP-ite may not be able to tell the difference between a former Sena man and a current one. The Sunday before the big day, the breakaway Shiv Sena faction conducted a lathi-puja, a reverential worship of the stick, so it could wield that against lovers. It seems to have a blessing from the Yogi Adityanath-led state authorities if a university circular is any indication. Lucknow University declared in a circular that students should not be roaming around the campus on Valentine's Day. That’s hardly encouraging for young men and women wanting to date in familiar environs, right? Meanwhile, the Bajrang Dal told restaurants and pubs in Hyderabad not to entertain Vday outings, just in case someone had doubts that the hardline organisation had undergone an emotional change. Not to be left behind, fringe groups with fancy names such as Bharat Sena and Shakti Sena have not changed their hearts against the festival of hearts and were planning protests in public places including beaches, cinema halls and even temples to stop V-Day love from blooming. Greeting cards were heading for tearing-up ceremonies, on the last count. So where does that leave us? More than a bit confused, yes, but consider the idea that Shiv Sena's higher authorities also found some loving company in Pravin Togadia of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), who has in the past been counted with V-Day baiters. "If there are no marriages, the world won't progress. Young men and women have the right to love," he said in an apparent change of heart.What gives? One explanation could be that right-wing parties now have to win support from young Millennials weaned on MTV and Tinder and parents are not exactly opposed anymore to boys and girls choosing their partners, except in pockets where inter-religious or inter-caste marriages are frowned upon, (some with dangerous "love jihad" tags attached).
ARTICLE SOURCE- BUSINESS STANDARD.