Chennai: The Hindu Munnani appears to have stoked a controversy in issuing a warning against the observance of Valentine’s Day on Tuesday. While urging the youth to take an oath to protect our culture, the Hindu Munnani warned that its cadres would “apprehend lovers who behaved in an uncivilised manner and hand them over to the police.”
Calling for concerted efforts to resist gross westernisation and also initiatives to sustain our culture, Hindu Munnani founder-convenor Ramagopalan said western culture is being imposed on the people under the guise of modernisation.
“But this should not be allowed. The youth should take an oath to protect our culture and the Government should prevent cultural degradation,” he said. In this regard, he recalled the successful pro-Jallikattu protest which resulted in the upholding of the Tamil culture and age-old tradition of holding bull taming sport.
Contending that everyone had a role in preserving Indian culture, he said the public should prevent any acts of the youngsters who, in the guise of lovers, conducted themselves in an uncivilised manner. “The police should remain vigilant and prevent such incidents. If there are any violations, our cadres will apprehend the violators and hand them over to the police,” he said.
Things turned violent on the eve of Valentine’s Day with a group of Hindu Munnani party members torching Valentine’s Day posters in Coimbatore. About 23 men were detained by the police.
At the Senthil Kumaran Theatre in Ramnagar, the group of men who set on fire a number of Valentine’s Day posters, raised slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “We will protect our culture.” They made a bonfire of posters advertising various Valentine’s Day themed events. “We will destroy those who ruin our culture in the name of Valentine’s Day,” they shouted.
