V-Day in the shadow of fear

CITY YOUTHS are planning low-key Valentine?s Day celebrations in the wake of threats from self-styled culture cops. The saffron brigade has asked residents not to celebrate the occasion, which it said amounted to aping the West blindly and damaging India?s cultural heritage.

CITY YOUTHS are planning low-key Valentine’s Day celebrations in the wake of threats from self-styled culture cops. The saffron brigade has asked residents not to celebrate the occasion, which it said amounted to aping the West blindly and damaging India’s cultural heritage.

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Speaking on condition of anonymity, youths at Golghar said they would avoid rendez vous at places where violence was feared. Neverthless, greeting card and gift shops have been decked up in various localities. Policemen are on alert to avert any untoward incident.

Last year, self-styled culture cops had damaged a florist’s shop and let loose a reign of terror in and around Indira Bal Vihar and Vinod Van, popular venues for love birds. This year, too, the culture cops are likely to maintain vigil on hotels, restaurants and libraries to keep lovers at bay. Sources said youth were hunting for alternative venues, as they did not want the occasion to be a damp squib. A DAV College student Amit said mobile phones would be used extensively to send SMS on the occasion. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the Hindu Yuva Vahini and the Shiv Sena have formed groups that will ‘patrol’ campuses, hoping to keep the young and the restless in check.

Police personnel, too, will patrol near the university campus and parks to avert any clash.