The 'New Look' Of Valentine's Day Face-Off In Hyderabad

The Hindu Mahasabha, (HM), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other similar minded groups are bracing to put love birds on the 'right' flight path on Valentine's Day. HM has warned that those who are identified wishing or displaying love on Facebook or Twitter will be married off.

"Display of in the entire Valentine's week is equivalent to not following Indian traditions. Anyone found displaying love on Facebook or Twitter will be caught hold of," warned the HM president Chandra Prakash Kaushik.
His outfit has put together eight teams to track social media and even dispatch them to public places like malls and parks.

The VHP has also declared, like in earlier years, that there will be not let up in their moral policing. Incidentally, its national president G. Raghava Reddy is the owner of the popular Hyderabad 'pure ghee' G. Pulla Reddy Sweets retail chain. The VHP is, like the HM, planning to trace those who express their love online, via social networking sites, and marry them in the presence of a VHP leader, lawyers, police and parents. This is being done as part of its mission to preserve and promote Indian culture.

Other elements of their aggressive campaign include the dispatch of warning letters to clubs, resorts and other places that promote Valentine Day celebrations. Unmindful of the challenge several organizers maintain that there will be not let up in the festivities. "What is wrong in encouraging people to love their partners sensibly and celebrate on a day marked specially for it," asked the owner of a pub, who is organizing exclusive V Day music show, in anonymity.

Few are ready to defy and preparing for a face - off with the die - hard opponents while some social media buffs are planning to profess their love for a film star or other icon and challenge the VHP and HM to get them married to that person soon.