Oh, my love…

Like a weary farmer

Waiting for the rain.

Like a lost child

Longing for its mother.

Like an innocent prisoner

Hoping for bail.

Yes..Now I understand

What it takes to wait…

And also

see more clearly—

A farmer’s despair,

An orphan’s fear,

A Dalit’s anxiety,

An innocent man’s expectation.

Come, my love, come…

Be the smile

That blooms on a hopeless farmer’s face.

Be the mother

Who embraces the abandoned child.

Be the light of hope.

Be the peace of the innocent.

Come, my love,

Be the revolution

That transforms this cruel world.

Be the compassion of a new tomorrow,

Be the fire that burns ruin,

Be the light that glows within it.

Be the passion in the penace

and

the penace in the passion

Come, my love…

In this lonely journey

Amidst a marching crowd,

Be my companion,

Be my comrade,

Be my joy of togetherness.

Like the river

That soothes a burning soul,

Come, my love…

Defeat the Man

and make me human

through the flood of love

The post To My Valentine… appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Indian culture is diverse and plural. It has been enriching itself by accepting the diversity irrespective of religion or geographical boundaries. This gets reflected in all aspects of our life, be it food habits, clothes, art, architecture, social occasions, customs and religious traditions. This is the natural grain of any open and thriving society. With the rise of politically patronized sectarianism the effort is to restrict and constrict the definition of ‘our culture’ in particular. We are witnessing the ‘other’ ing of religious communities and there are attempts to distinguish between diverse aspects of our society into ‘us or our’ versus ‘them/outsiders’. To sustain this, sectarian outfits are very proactive on occasion. At the same time symbols are being promoted to associate with ‘nationalism’ with a particular ‘religion’.

The recent call given by the Animal Welfare Board India (AWBI) –subsequently hurriedly withdrawn –was an example of this sort of campaign. An AWBI in a circular gave a call that February 14 — instead of being observed as the popular Valentine’s day — should be celebrated as ‘Cow Hug Day’. The statutory board circular stated, “Hugging cows will bring emotional richness and increase individual and collective happiness”.

Union Rural Development minister Giriraj Singh endorsed the idea (February 9, 2023) by saying that everybody should love cows. This move had twin goals. On one hand it was to promote the symbolism around cow and on the other it was clearly aimed to bypass Valentine’s Day. The symbolism around the cow is a strong emotive aspect of dominant caste Hindu nationalism and Valentine’s Day has been dubbed as alien and immoral by this stream.

Promoting this symbolism around Cow has picked up steam in the last few years. Many Hindus do regard the Cow as a Holy animal, now the Indian state has jumped into the fray and restrictions on cow slaughter have been aggressively brought forward in different states. This led on one hand to the violent phenomenon of lynching of mainly Muslims and some Dalits. This also led to brutal flogging of four Dalits in Una in Gujarat (2016). The central Government has funded research into Panchgavya, a mixture of cow milk, curd, ghee, cow-dung and cow-urine). Incidentally, both veterinary and biochemical sciences have already done most of the basic study and research into various animal products.

In 2021 Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (National Cow Board) under the Rural Development ministry planned the ‘Kamdhenu Gau Vigyan Prachar Prasar Exam’ (National Exam on Cow science propagation). This was later called off after a public uproar. This Board was later disbanded. As the call was given for Cow Hug Day, many a social media posts ridiculed the idea. One video of BJP leader trying to caress the cow and she trying to hit back surfaced. The very notion of hugging cow was not taken lightly by many, as it is fraught with the possibility of accidents due to the bovine trying to retaliate in insecurity as it is not being so accustomed to strangers. This weird idea to promote love for cow, is also questionably times as India is today among the leading exporter of beef in the World. Adding to the political aggression and mayhem, the Malegaon blast accused Pragya Sing Thakur also dispensed her advice by asserting that ‘caressing the cow, in the direction of her skin hairs’ reduces blood pressure and surely with this Government plans may be afoot to undertake the research in this direction!

Even without the ‘cow hug’ symbolism, majoritarian groups associated with Hindutva supremacism have been violently opposing the gifting as an expression of love on Valentine Day. Groups like Pramod Mutalik’s Shriram Sene and Bajrang Dal in particular have been beating couples moving together since 2009! Anti Valentine Day squads moved around, who not only harassed the couples but also tried to ransack the shops dealing in gifts for the day. Most of these groups do enjoy a sort of political impunity. Uttar Pradesh saw a spate of such ‘attacks’ on couples since 2017 and they continue today.

Proponents of the anti-Valentine Day propaganda claim that public expression of love is against ‘our culture’, our Hindu values. These ignorant foot soldiers and motivated leaders may be unaware of Vatsyana’s Kamsutra or the temples of Khajurau and Konark which have depictions not just of emotional love but also of erotica. One remembers the very successful ‘Pink Chaddi’ campaign initiated by feminist social groups. This was in response to Pramod Mutalik’s, an ex-RSS pracharak, group beating up girls coming out from a Mangalore pub. Pink Chaddis were sent to Mutalik in large numbers. Sectarianisms are not lonely in the World. Groups similar to Shri Ram Sene also came up in Saudi Arabia at a particular point of time.

These groups –on both or all sides of the religious divide–are part of an oppressive, sectarian politics, which abhors free choice of youngsters in particular. Real reasons for this intolerant behavior have to be looked for in their overall agenda to curtail liberalism, pluralism and to constrain the democratic ethos of the country.

One may recall that Asaram Bapu, now cooling his heels in jail as rape convict had mooted the idea of bypassing Valentine day by celebrating February 14 as Matru-Pitru Pujan Divas(Mother-Father worship day). That was endorsed by the religious nationalists, but it also failed to take off.

Valentine Day, the day of expression of love is globally very popular. It is not restricted to romantic, sexual love alone. The tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day goes back to early second century CE. There are many legends about St. Valentine and two of them have some definitive history.  It seems that the early Christian Church had at least two saints bearing this name. One story has it that as Roman emperor Claudius II forbade young men to marry in the year 200’s A.D., as he had strong military ambition and he thought that single men made better soldiers. A priest by the name Valentine disobeyed the orders of the King by solemnizing the marriage of young couples!

 According to another legend, Valentine was an early Christian saint who was very affectionate to young children. He refused to worship Roman Gods and on that count, was imprisoned. Children missed his affection and love and tossed the notes containing love messages across the prison bars. According to many stories he was executed on February 14.

This day in due course came to be celebrated in his memory, as a tribute to his courage in defying inhuman orders of the ruling king; people started sending greetings and messages of love to their loved ones. Though the historical veracity of the origins of the Valentine Day custom maybe shrouded in myth due to its being very ancient, the fact that these customs took on a local hue in different countries wherever this day began to be celebrated cannot be denied.

In a World shrinking to become a global village, aspirations of the young are not easily ignored. No wonder then, facing wide criticism, the AWBI has withdrawn the call for February 14 being Cow Hug day!

Related: 

Kerala man targeted by vigilantes on Valentine’s Day hangs himself

A Hindu girl & Muslim man reportedly harassed by Bajrang Dal members, allegations of ‘Love-Jihad’ made

Love in times of Bhagwa: Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena causes disruptions in many parts of the country, harass couples on Valentine’s Day

The post Valentine Day: To be or not to be? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The man with his girl friend was in his twenties, they were at a beach near Kollam on February 14, when the woman had to go to an isolated area to relieve herself as the gang tried to assault her.The man was attacked too when he tried to rescue her.

The young man from Kerala has been found hanging outside his home in Kerala’s Palakkad district on Thursday, said NDTV.

The video shot on the beach was already posted on the social media sites. Beacause of the incident, the man was upset and stayed aloof for some days, according to the report.

A suicide note has been found in which he blames the vigilantes for his death.

After the couple complained to the police, the men were arrested.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had warned miscreants against such incidents and had told the police to take action against such people.

Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter
 

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The celebration was held at the Kanakia division office of the BJP located in the Bhairav Residency area in Mira Road. The video caught on from Wednesday and finally the Bhayander BJP MLA Narendra Mehta has sought resignations of the eight members seen in the clip and also ordered that the Mira Road office be shut down.

“This is not the first time that a party member’s birthday has been celebrated in the office, but dancing to film songs is an act of indiscipline and we have decided to take strict action as the party will not tolerate such acts. I have asked the 8 members to submit their resignations and we will present the same to my senior leaders to take action. I have also ordered for the closure of the Mira Road office,” said Mehta.

The members were seen dancing and they later cut the a birthday cake for to celebrate Nayak’s birthday in the office, which coincided with Valentine’s Day. Some of the party members shot the video on their mobile phones and later uploaded it on social media.

The workers seen in the video are Kajal Saxsena, Sonia Nayak,Prem Phoolchand, Raj Pathak, Swati Bhansali, and others. The video, which went viral, was shot by Rajni Nagpal, using her mobile phone.

The post BJP Cracks the Whip: 8 Youngsters asked to Quit over Valentine’s Day Video appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A video – purportedly shot in the saffron party’s office at Mira-Bhayander in Thane district of Maharashtra – is doing the round on the social, showing men and women shaking legs on a music tune in a decorated hall that have a big BJP banner in the background.

The camera is initially focussed on a woman in saffron colour dress who is dancing with a man wearing jeans and shirt, with another saffron-clad woman holding mike. Soon, they were joined by many.

The video clip – whose authenticity could not be independently verified by Janta Ka Reporter – has been shared by one Jitu Bhai on Facebook.

Activists of Bajrang Dal activists and other fringe groups directly or indirectly associated with the BJP attacking love birds on Valentine’s Day is nothing new. Many senior leaders of the BJP, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bajrang Dal and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have voiced their opposition to Valentine’s Day by terming it as “western culture”, which – according to them – is dangerous like an “epidemic”.

Several right wing leaders have often suggested that February 14 should be celebrated as ‘Matru-Pitru Diwas’ – a day when parents are worshipped – instead of a romantic holiday. Even Chhindwara district collector in Madhya Pradesh issued a notice asking people to do so.

Several incidents of violence were reported on this year’s Valentine’s Day as well.

Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter
 

The post Unbelievable? Watch BJP Workers Celebrating Valentine’s Day: Maharashtra appeared first on SabrangIndia.

It is not surprising that the right-wing ruling class is usurping Valentine’s Day and stigmatising the celebration of love by Hindu-ising the day. The Directorate of Public Education of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Chhattisgarh government has issued notices to schools, directing that February 14 be marked as “Matru-Pitru Diwas” (Mother-Father Day) to inculcate “bharatiya sanskriti”, or “Indian culture”.

This is not the first time a day meant to commemorate an idea has been changed to signify another, more “Indian”, referent. Since 2015, December 25 — Christmas for most of the world — is officially recognised as “Good Governance Day” in India. This was meant as an homage to veteran BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee on his birthday. It is no coincidence that December 6 — Ambedkar Mahaparinirvanam Diwas, observed by millions of Indians as a day to pay homage to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar — was the day chosen by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992. In past years we have witnessed organisations like the Shiv Sena, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Students Islamic Organisation of India and others indulging in moral policing, often violently, against couples found in public spaces on Valentine’s Day. This year we see the beginning of a different trend. The attack on this secular day of celebration comes from the ruling government, and through a government institution, the Directorate of Public Education, in the name of Matru-Pitru Diwas.

Last February, some national newspapers reported that the Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena would not indulge in the usual violence and moral policing on Valentine’s Day. Lalmani Verma's report stated that the “Bajrang Dal’s convener for UP and Uttarakhand, Surendra Mishra, said that the 'acts that couples indulge in' on roads and at public places on Valentine’s Day is 'similar to nature of animals' and interfering with them is useless. 'It has been decided at the top level of the organisation that our workers will not disturb any couple any more,' Mishra said. Bajrang Dal’s Awadh region convener, Rakesh Verma said the organisation was against western culture and hence the workers’ protest will remain confined to torching Valentine’s Day cards only 'but there will be no misbehaviour with any couple.'"

In 2015, just a year prior to these statements, the Bajrang Dal had announced that it would solemnise the marriage of boys and girls found together in public places on Valentine’s Day. As for the couples who refused, the Bajrang Dal karyakartas (workers) would make them leave the area after giving them images of Shiva and Parvathi, as well as Krishna and Radha, and advising them to express their love as these gods did. Even the Shiv Sena had taken a similar decision not to misbehave with couples last year: "'National head of Shiv Sena’s youth wing, Aditya Thackeray, has issued strict directions to not misbehave with any boy or girl on Valentine’s Day. He does not want assault or misbehaviour with youths. Shiv Sena is against western culture and we have communicated our message during past years. We are not going to assault any couple. If any worker will misbehave or assault any couple, he will be expelled from the party', said Anil Singh, UP head of Shiv Sena.” Not only has no leader of the RSS or any other right-wing group made any controversial statements regarding Valentine’s Day this year, the newspapers too, quite surprisingly, are devoid of the usual heteronormative patriarchal advertisements surrounding this day. Like all other festivals, Valentine’s Day has long been a means to make big profits for the markets, and sexist commercials have lured the public into indulging in consumption. Have the cultural right and the economic right come to a consensus to wipe out Valentine’s Day celebrations from India?

While, on the one hand, it is the right wing of this country that invites finance capital into India through neo-liberal policies, on the other hand, the clash between the cultural and economic right wings is most acute on the question of Valentine's Day. While the market wants to make a profit using this day of celebration, for the cultural right the celebration of love stands in the way of constructing a Hindu Rashtra. In past years, it has taken the form of direct attacks. The Shiv Sena, for example, has attacked shops selling Valentine’s Day cards, obstructing their profit-making. The popular mainstream media has stepped back from raising funds from its pages with long advertisements marked with red and pink to mark Valentine's Day. Instead, the newspapers are now printing expressions we can all tell our parents on Matru-Pitru Diwas. Here is a sample: "Without you there would be no me. It's as simple as that! I love you with all my heart. Happy Valentine's Day!" and "As my Mom and Dad… as my friend… as a Valentine… you're the best!" Maybe next year Prime Minister Modi will ask us to take selfies with our parents and post them on Twitter!

It's true that the habit of displaying affection publicly is not common among Indians. Valentine’s Day is an enabler — one that offers a yearly opportunity and vocabulary through which one can express feelings of affection and attraction. Instead, Valentine’s Day has been made the scapegoat for our disturbingly regressive attitudes towards consensual adult relationships outside the narrow bounds of social permissibility. Moral guardians are always ready to stand as gatekeepers of culture.

This day of romance, celebrating individualistic, mutually respectful love, is attacked by those who wish to maintain the status quo. The question is, when do we fight for, and when do we celebrate, equality between the sexes?

Courtesy: Indian Cultural Forum
 

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