[Reader-list] "we'll force them to marry on the spot..."

[M Javed]

Ram Sene to marry off dating couples
5 Feb 2009, 0429 hrs IST, TNN

BANGALORE: The fuss over Valentine's Day celebration by the
self-styled moral police appears to be getting on Bangalore's nerves.
Clearly
unwilling to let themselves face a culture shock of sorts by
spoilsports of the Sri Rama Sene who have threatened to ruin the
celebrations, youth wings of many parties and student leaders vowed to
keep the city safe and peaceful on February 14.

As expected, on Wednesday afternoon, Rashtriya Hindu Sena chief Pramod
Mutalik went into a huddle with his band of supporters and declared
war on what he called "anti-Indian" practices. The Sene asked the
government, heads of educational institutions and the police to
discourage this "Christian practice of celebrating Valentine's Day''.

Asked what the Sene would do if the government fails to heed to their
demand, Mutalik said: "That question would arise only after government
or police fails to stall the Valentine's Day celebrations.''

Those guys and girls exhibiting public display of affection on
Valentine's Day, beware. At a meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Sri
Rama Sene leader Pramod Mutalik, Sene decided to arrange marriage
between dating couples. For that, it has formed five teams. They will
roam around Bangalore with a video camera and turmeric stub. If they
find young couples dating, they will force them to wed on the spot.
"The couples will be taken to a sub-registrar's office to solemnise
the marriage,'' T S Vasanth Kumar Bhavani, Sene's Bangalore city
president, told TOI.

Progressive voices said they would take on the Sene and not allow them
to intimidate students. Who are these people to decide what others
should do, they asked. On its part, the ruling BJP said though
Valentine's Day was not our culture, it would not oppose it. The
government did not seem to have any new plan of action to counter
Sene's threat.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Ram_Sene_to_marry_off_dating_couples/articleshow/4078475.cms