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Hindu Group Issues Valentineâs Warning
Hindu nationalists who claim they are fighting against Western cultural influence have threatened to shave young loversâ heads and beat them if they exchange Valentineâs Day cards and gifts. Valentineâs Day, which falls on Saturday, has in recent years gained popularity in India -- a predominantly Hindu nation whose constitution guarantee freedom of religion. ``The faces of those not heeding our request will be blackened and their heads will be shaved,ââ Ved Prakash Sachchan, of the militant Hindu organization Bajrang Dal, said Thursday in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh state. ``We will not allow any foreign festival which is a violation of Indian culture.ââ On Wednesday, another Hindu hard-line group, the Shiv Sena, which is a part of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, I think AP means his government waved bamboo sticks at a rally in Lucknow threatening to beat people who observe Valentineâs Day. Despite the threats, some people said they would not be dissuaded from celebrating Valentineâs Day. ``Such celebrations are not against Hinduism,ââ Gujarat University student Anish Patel Patel said. ``I will definitely celebrate Valentineâs Day along with my girlfriends.ââ Posted by: Paul Moloney 2004-02-13 |
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