India, Shiv Sena And Valentine's Day

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Suddenly there was a ear-shattering sound of glasses breaking. What was meant to be just any other day out , turned to be a chaotic moment of confusion, with people running anywhere and every where. Was this a communal riot? Or was it a terror-attack gone wrong? This was the Valentines day yes.

Saffron-clad protesters mercilessly thrashed down the posters and burned the V-day cards, all the while shouting the 'anti-west' slogans, any couple in the vicinity was attacked. Within minutes, the cards and gift outlet was reduced to pieces, with no sign of a soul around. Shiv Sena completed its 'mission' and very casually strolled away from the place of disaster.

This is yet another Valentine day celebration in India, a country that boasts of the largest symbol of love-the Taj Mahal. While the day calls for the universal celebration of expression of love in the memory of St. Valentine, in India from the past few years it has resulted in violent outbursts and accusation of the nation 'aping the west'. One cannot truly argue against the fact that Valentine's Day is, in fact a tradition borrowed from the west, but so is the New year and Birthday celebrations. Mother's day , father's day and so many other days are also celebrated with out any protests, while the Valentines day always manages to cause a conflict.

Ask the Shiv Sena or the Bajrang Dal and they proudly declare that 'there is no requirement of a celebration from the west, when you already have Indian festivals like Holi and Diwali to celebrate'. However, the Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray's preference for only 'scotch' and 'dutch tobacco' cannot be questioned.

The same fervor is observed in Pakistan, that has provoked the Islamic parties to take the opposition role, "They are following the West just to show that they are modern people," said a Pakistani party leader. Senior Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray accused that, "Valentine's Day is nothing but a Western onslaught on India's culture to attract youth for commercial purposes." He also goes on to say that the youth take this as an excuse to indulge in to 'immoral' activities in public in the name of love. What about the sudden increase in the condom sales during the Navaratri, when the youth indulge in indecent 'intimacy' in the name of culture? Innumerable abortions follow the ten day celebrations.

The question remains at the single point of debate, what is it about the Valentine's day that so many people rush to embrace it? What makes the simple celebration of love so popular that it leads to the huge increase in the market sales of flowers and gifts, leaving behind a Diwali or a Christmas or a Eid in terms of widespread participation? The answer is the people's subconscious appeal to dissolve differences and emerge as one. Perhaps the youth's desire to be a part of a single religion and belong to each other with out any hassles. Or is it the people's plea for a universal acceptance in this age of wars and hate rate.

Such non-religious and non-political celebrations are not a threat to any culture, maybe the 'Sainiks' should rather concentrate on dealing with more important national issues like terrorism , if at all they care for the nation. Modernity is not an issue of concern as long as one's identity is retained. However, as Shiv Sena gear up for yet another up coming Valentine's, that they should question Bal Thackrey's personal involvement for the Michael Jackson's concert in India. Not just that, reportedly he also preserved the King of Pop's urine sample as a memento, when the pop star used Thackray's toilet!

Love speaks a single language and travels through borders, whether it is the Valentine's celebration in India or it is the widespread fellowship of Lord Krishna in a foreign land. The common man yearns for love and peace, whereever it might have been originated from. AGENCIES

Suddenly there was a ear-shattering sound of glasses breaking. What was meant to be just any other day out , turned to be a chaotic moment of confusion, with people running anywhere and every where. Was this a communal riot? Or was it a terror-attack gone wrong? This was the Valentines day yes.

Saffron-clad protesters mercilessly thrashed down the posters and burned the V-day cards, all the while shouting the 'anti-west' slogans, any couple in the vicinity was attacked. Within minutes, the cards and gift outlet was reduced to pieces, with no sign of a soul around. Shiv Sena completed its 'mission' and very casually strolled away from the place of disaster.

This is yet another Valentine day celebration in India, a country that boasts of the largest symbol of love-the Taj Mahal. While the day calls for the universal celebration of expression of love in the memory of St. Valentine, in India from the past few years it has resulted in violent outbursts and accusation of the nation 'aping the west'. One cannot truly argue against the fact that Valentine's Day is, in fact a tradition borrowed from the west, but so is the New year and Birthday celebrations. Mother's day , father's day and so many other days are also celebrated with out any protests, while the Valentines day always manages to cause a conflict.

Ask the Shiv Sena or the Bajrang Dal and they proudly declare that 'there is no requirement of a celebration from the west, when you already have Indian festivals like Holi and Diwali to celebrate'. However, the Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray's preference for only 'scotch' and 'dutch tobacco' cannot be questioned.

The same fervor is observed in Pakistan, that has provoked the Islamic parties to take the opposition role, "They are following the West just to show that they are modern people," said a Pakistani party leader. Senior Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray accused that, "Valentine's Day is nothing but a Western onslaught on India's culture to attract youth for commercial purposes." He also goes on to say that the youth take this as an excuse to indulge in to 'immoral' activities in public in the name of love. What about the sudden increase in the condom sales during the Navaratri, when the youth indulge in indecent 'intimacy' in the name of culture? Innumerable abortions follow the ten day celebrations.

The question remains at the single point of debate, what is it about the Valentine's day that so many people rush to embrace it? What makes the simple celebration of love so popular that it leads to the huge increase in the market sales of flowers and gifts, leaving behind a Diwali or a Christmas or a Eid in terms of widespread participation? The answer is the people's subconscious appeal to dissolve differences and emerge as one. Perhaps the youth's desire to be a part of a single religion and belong to each other with out any hassles. Or is it the people's plea for a universal acceptance in this age of wars and hate rate.

Such non-religious and non-political celebrations are not a threat to any culture, maybe the 'Sainiks' should rather concentrate on dealing with more important national issues like terrorism , if at all they care for the nation. Modernity is not an issue of concern as long as one's identity is retained. However, as Shiv Sena gear up for yet another up coming Valentine's, that they should question Bal Thackrey's personal involvement for the Michael Jackson's concert in India. Not just that, reportedly he also preserved the King of Pop's urine sample as a memento, when the pop star used Thackray's toilet!

Love speaks a single language and travels through borders, whether it is the Valentine's celebration in India or it is the widespread fellowship of Lord Krishna in a foreign land. The common man yearns for love and peace, whereever it might have been originated from. AGENCIES