THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Another Valentine’s Day is here and folks are gung-ho about it. Some will take their loved ones for a romantic dinner at a restaurant while others may choose this day to propose or get married. It is also a time to appreciate friends in social circles and cultures.
But, while most people regard V-Day as harmless, the recent incidents including ‘moral policing’ have taken the sheen off the celebrations. Those opposing V-Day say the celebrations are a threat to traditional Indian values. They believe V-Day is a conspiracy to destroy the Indian culture.
However, the college students have something different to say. Many stand firm on their decision to celebrate the day unmindful of the consequences, while some others were wary in the wake of the recent happenings.
“I would love to go for a candlelight dinner with my valentine. But we students can’t afford it. Hence, most of us confine the celebrations to a stroll through the shopping malls. I think malls are the only place in the city which are free from moral policing. Public places are a big ‘no’,” Akhila Nizam, Sacred Heart College, Thevara.
“I prefer not to go out on Valentine’s Day with my partner. Many of my friends had to bear the brunt of moral policing while spending time together in the public. I don’t want to have such an experience,” Amal Krishna, a college student.
Gone are the days when Valentine’s Day used to be celebrated in the campuses, say the students. Students also expressed their dismay over the attitude of the college managements.
“Students understand the sanctity of the campus and are mature enough to behave in a responsible way. Installation of CCTV cameras or deploying more security guards can only invite protests from the student community. Also, student organisations have no business in carrying out moral policing on the campus,” Alan Roy Joseph, Media Student, Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram.
“Student organisations should not deal with such incidents with an iron first. Neither should they take on the role of the moral police, says Gauri Kalyani Shekhar, Law Student, Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.