SRS is not against love, declares Muthalik

SRS is not against love, declares Muthalik

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Feb 12: Shri Rama Sene (SRS) Chief Pramod Muthalik declared that SRS is not against love, but only against the celebration of Valentine’s Day and its commercialization. He was speaking at a debate on celebration of Valentine’s Day organized by Journalists’ Study Centre at Mangalore Business School on Feb 12, Saturday.


Revealing his opinions on love, he said that love should not be limited to just one day, adding that love should not arise only between a young boy and a girl, but that one must feel love for nature, parents, environment, country, and others too.













Stating that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in honor of the death of a “cheap father,” who was later declared to be a saint, he wanted to know why Indians insist on celebrating Valentine’s Day when even the Russians have banned it.


The other resource persons were K. L. Ashok chief secretary of Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike, who said that Valentine’s Day, which is translated as Lovers’ Day in Kannada, is observed in honor of sincere lovers who died for love, adding that the need to discuss this issue has arisen because of the tension created by SRS during the previous year. Stating that lovers have the right to celebrate their love, he said that lovers do not require anybody’s permission to exercise their right.


Reacting to Muthalik’s earlier statement that Valentine’s Day is a “business gimmick,” he said that prices rise during other festivals too. He also said that organizations such as SRS are snatching away the rights of women. Stating the he is against pub culture as it is an expression of Western culture, he said that not just women, but even men should not go to pubs.


District convener of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind said that fundamentalist outfits that attack young people celebrating Valentine’s Day ought to be condemned, adding that it will be difficult to live in a society that has gone out of control. Declaring that the SRS has given wide publicity to Valentine’s Day and has even increased its popularity by taking an anti Valentine’s Day stance, he said that India has the right to celebrate Valentine’s Day if it wishes.


DYFI Vice President Muneer Katipalla said that the present situation wouldn’t have arisen if the SRS had addressed lovers the way it was speaking now, adding that organizations that attempt to change young people by terrorizing them or blackmailing them should be condemned. He appreciated the current stance taken by SRS and its chief.


Muthalik said that the SRS has printed 10 lakh pamphlets on the disadvantages of celebrating Valentine’s Day and that these pamphlets will be distributed at hostels and colleges. He also said that a requisition letter has been dispatched to all gift and card centers to refrain from selling Valentine’s Day gifts. Hotel owners have also been requested to refrain from indulging in illegal activities in their hotels, he said. Stating that the SRS is trying hard to stop the celebration of Valentine’s Day, he said that nothing can be done if people refuse to agree with them. 


Pushparaj, the reporter of Varthabharathi, was the MC of the event; Satya, another Varthabharathi reporter, delivered the welcome address; and Sukesh of Suvarna News proposed the vote of thanks.