Hindu Youth Wing members protest against Valentine's Day celebrations in Madurai

MADURAI: In many districts, including Madurai, Valentine’s Day celebrations went sour with many groups protesting against the event.
Hindu Youth Wing members in the city staged a demonstration at the Kattabomman statue near Periyar with a girl’s photo kept in a cage. Around 35 members participated.
M Rajan, a Madurai-based HYW member, said, “This protest is to create an awareness among women that they could be cheated by men in the name of Valentine’s day.We get to hear of many cases of women being cheated by men in the name of love; hence we are against celebrating this day.”
The HYW members said they had been conducting such protests for the past 10 years. However, Sunday’s protests did not last for more than 15 minutes, as the police intervened.
Citing data in a Delhi-based newspaper, the group said more than 3,000 women were taken to foreign countries every year by men after they get married. “These men marry the women in the name of love and after promising them jobs. But they end up being cheated by the men.”
Similarly, in areas like Nagercoil and Theni, to mock Valentines Day a group of protestors staged the marriage of a dog and a goat.
Tirunelveli had better ways to mark the day. Members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India celebrated the day by releasing doves and balloons. A large number of people participated in the celebrations and the public wore happy smiles.