Anti V-Day rants irk loving hearts

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Youngsters in the city are busy preparing to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their loved ones. As various shops and malls across the city are offering discounts and special offers, young customers are queuing up for special shopping sessions.

Amidst all this, godman Asaram Bapu has created a furore by recently asking the government to declare Valentine’s Day as “Matri Pitri Pujan Diwas” (a day to pay respect to mother and father). “Foreign TV channels, which promote promiscuity, have robbed them (youth) of their strength of character. As if this much of moral degradation of the country’s youth was not enough, pernicious symbols of western culture like Valentine’s Day are being promoted,” said Asaram. We spoke with city youngsters about what they think about such remarks.
Mihir Pandya, a young city-based author and a research fellow, believes that the debate is not about Western vs Indian culture. He says, “It’s about equality, idea of an egalitarian modern society vs the unjust status quo. When a repressed class asserts its rights, these powers of the status quo and such self-styled babas always terms it as ‘immoral’. Choosing a life partner of your choice is not immoral. What is wrong with expressing love on a particular day like Valentine’s Day? And it is not like the youngsters who celebrate this day are inconsiderate about the feelings of their parents. Making love to someone is not immoral and not ‘aping western culture’ for heaven’s sake.”
While the city youngsters are gearing up to welcome Valentine’s Day and are busy picking up the right gifts for their partners such comments from politicians and babas come across as “unwanted”, according to Anukriti Dixit, 24, a software engineer. She says, “The youth of India needs sexual maturity through better education. Is Asaram telling us that youngsters don’t hoard up and party on Holi, Dusshera or Diwali? What is wrong with celebrating Valentine’s Day? This has nothing to do with westernisation or promoting promiscuity. Would Asaram stop visiting other nations for his pravachan in order to truly boycott the Western culture?”
Stand-up comedian and playwright Anuvab Pal quips, “Asaram’s day would be ‘worship parents day”, which is not a bad idea. Young Indian lovers don’t have to do anything to shut him up. The hotel and restaurant association of India will shut him up.”
As love is in the air in markets with Valentine’s Day goodies flooding the shelves, such remarks don’t seem to dampen the spirit of youngsters.
“According to me, the meaning of Valentine’s Day is wrongly set in the mind of Indians, and particularly such babas. It is a day that can be celebrated with anyone you love which includes your mother/father as well. Expressing love within the boundaries of social norms is a sign of true love, and not some adoption of western culture. The godman can style days in accordance to his understanding, but he also needs to get it clear that the youth don’t follow anyone’s styles, they believe in creating their own everyday!” says Mehak Awatramani, a public relations professional.