Valentine’s Day Celebrations in Different Cities of India were Disrupted by Right-Wing Hindu Groups. They Ever Have to Call the Group as the Black Day for the Martyrs of the Pulwama Attack. Activists of Hindu Shiv Bhavani Sena, Bajrang Dal, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, and Bharatiya Sufi Foundation paraded, patrolled parks, and forcefully came between couples trying to celebrate.
Hindu Shiv Bhavani Sena’s Protest in Bihar
valentines Day पर पटना में दिखा ये नज़ारा “जहां मिलेंगे बाबू सोना तोड़ देंगे कोना कोना”🫢 pic.twitter.com/Y8PTBWvmRK
— Mukesh singh (@Mukesh_Journo) February 14, 2025
The Patna youths came alive with rods and sticks, crashing into the parks and condemning the couples for indulging in what they labeled as “public obscenity” by the members of the Hindu Shiv Bhavani Sena. They chanted slogans condemning public displays of affection as they marched across several parks in the city. They could be heard screaming, “Jahan milenge babu sona, tod denge kona-kona”, which means “Wherever we find lovers, we will break them apart”.
Valentine’s Day was thoroughly criticized by the National President of the group, Luv Kumar Singh, calling it a Western cultural invasion and therefore not fit for acceptance in India. In a statement to IANS, he said:
“We are completely against obscenity. Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with Hindu culture at all; it is nothing but an unnecessary Western influence. It is more dangerous than cancer, and we firmly oppose it. Rather, on this day, all the people should observe it now with a notion of it being a ‘Black Day’ in memory of those martyrs who sacrificed their lives in Pulwama.”
Agra: Hindu Mahasabha Activists Storm Paliwal Park
Members of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, an ultra-nationalistic group from Uttar Pradesh, stormed into Paliwal Park, chanting “Jai Shri Ram” as they carried sticks and batons. The sudden intrusion caused panic among those couples who were sitting in the park, thereby causing a horrible situation.
Moradabad: Bajrang Dal and Bharatiya Sufi Foundation Join Protests
The Moradabad event in Uttar Pradesh saw the initial demonstration against Valentine’s Day by two other organizations Dal and Bharatiya Sufi Foundation.
- Bajrang Dal Deploys 12 teams: Bajrang Dal leaders deployed 12 teams within the city and another 20 teams in nearby districts; patrolling places where couples were expected to come together to prevent Valentine’s Day celebrations.
- Opposition from Bharatiya Sufi Foundation: The Bharatiya Sufi Foundation also objected, granting that Valentine’s Day encourages values that are “sending false signals to children” and should not be facilitated in Indian society.
Cultural Commitments and Rising Throwing of It
The continued anti-Valentine protests reflect the continuing cultural struggle regarding the Western influence in India, with right-wing groups resisting what they perceive as a moral and cultural threat. While many young Indians envision Valentine’s Day as a time to celebrate love, conservative groups often lead to clashes in public spaces in opposition to Valentine’s Day.
With the increasing aggression in moral policing, debates continue to arise on freedom of expression, personal liberty, and cultural identity in contemporary India.
