Worship parents on Feb 14, reject Valentine’s Day: Ads on Delhi Metro

Worship your parents this Valentines’ Day, says a series of advertisement billboards put up at Delhi Metro stations by a religious group that batted for police action against couples.

Worship your parents this Valentines’ Day, says a series of advertisement billboards put up at Delhi Metro stations by a religious group that batted for police action against couples.

The ads, put up across 35 stations allegedly by an organisation of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, advocating Matri Pitru Pujan Diwas has left commuters enraged, prompting the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to examine the matter. Asaram is in jail in connection with a sexual assault case.

On the posters has a link to the website http://www.mppd.ashram.org/, which claims to be “Inspired by Pujya Asharam Ji Bapu”.

Watch the video of Asaram saying how on Valentine’s Day one should worship one’s parents:

The billboards and posters put up inside the stations show two contrasting frames: one of two children worshipping their parents while the other shows a young couple holding each other’s ears as cops stand near them.

“Police should take strong action against those celebrating Valentine’s Day in broad daylight. Don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day,” the message in the posters says.

According to a DMRC spokesperson, the ads were put by a private contractor. All the ad space inside the Delhi Metro premises is allotted to specialised agencies who allot them to interested advertisers. “The matter is being thoroughly examined and taken up with the contractor concerned for necessary action,” he said.

A DMRC executive said the company followed the Delhi Outdoor Advertising Policy, 2008 and did not have its own policy in this regard.