Sharmili Mallick

Bhubaneswar: It’s that time of the year when love is in the air and the lovebirds feel it's the most romantic season to celebrate togetherness. On Valentine’s Day today, even the Bajrang Dal unlike every year, has said no to moral policing. Instead, the right wing activists have decided to put up posters opposing the V-Day celebrations.

State Co-ordinator of Bajrang Dal, Himanshu Bhusan Das on Wednesday said that posters, hoardings and placards will be put up in parks and other public places to oppose the day and create awareness among the couples against adopting western cultures by celebrating V-Day.

“We are not opposing love or lovebirds but we are against the celebrations of Valentine’s Day. We are opposing those couples who get indulged in vulgar activities in the name of Valentine’s Day. Besides, we are opposing the day as it inculcates a sense of religious conversion in the minds of the people,” said Das.

However, Kalinga Sena, a fringe group in the State has threatened the couples to avoid behaving indecently in the public. The activists also threatened to smear stinging nettle plants on love couples who will be found celebrating Valentine’s Day in malls, parks, cinema halls and other places in the city.

President of the women wing of Kalinga Sena, Subhadra Mishra said, “We are opposing those who get engaged in indecent activities in public places like malls and parks. However, we are not against any couple. If anyone is found involved in any such behaviour, we will gift them stinging nettle plants.”

Meanwhile, the Commissionerate Police has made extensive arrangements in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to avoid the fringe groups from indulging in anti-social activities by harassing couple on Valentine’s Day.

While 15 platoons of police force have been deployed across several public places including parks and shopping malls, DCPs, ACPs and IICs have been asked to remain alert.

“Police officials will be deployed across multiple places especially in shopping malls and parks. Any individual or institution indulging in unsocial activities will be punished as per law,” said Police Commissioner Satyajit Mohanty.

scrollToTop