Couples express fear as protests and slogans mark Valentine’s Day in Patna

Patna: Valentine’s Day in the city took a contentious turn this year as chants of “Valentine’s Day hai hai” echoed outside Buddha Smriti Park. Members of the Hindu Shivbhawani Sena staged a protest, distributing copies of the Hanuman Chalisa among couples and passers-by while urging them not to celebrate what they described as a practice contrary to Hindu values.

The demonstration created an atmosphere of unease in parts of the city. Several couples appeared hesitant to celebrate openly, citing apprehension over threats such as “Jahan milenge babu-sona, tod denge kona kona”, a slogan widely circulated in the run-up to the day.


Luv Kumar Singh, national president of the Hindu Shivbhawani Sena, said in a video message on Saturday: “Our stance is clear - there is no mention of Valentine’s Day in our culture. We are distributing the Hanuman Chalisa to the youth so they remember their roots. Today (Feb 14) is not a day to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but a day to remember the martyrs of Pulwama. Love is sacred, but obscenity will not be tolerated.”

“We are not against love. But in the name of love, or Valentine’s Day, if someone spreads obscenity, vulgarity, or social corruption against Indian culture and tries to pollute society, we oppose it. If you wish to love like Ram-Sita, we are not against it, but if you wish to express love like Romeo-Juliet and Babu-Sona, we stand against it,” Singh told reporters.

Near S K Puri Park, a young couple said they were avoiding public spaces out of fear. “We are scared of being thrashed for roaming around the streets or being seen together holding hands in the open. This is why we are just hanging out inside our car for now, and then we plan on going directly to a cafe to stay out of sight,” they said.

Supporting the protest, an elderly resident, Rajesh Kumar, near the Patna Junction, said, “The youth are forgetting their culture. What these men are doing is necessary to protect our society from these foreign traditions that encourage indecency.”

Meanwhile, two friends celebrating at a nearby mall presented a contrasting perspective. “We are just here for Galentine’s Day. Since we don’t have partners, these threats don’t really bother us. No one is going to come and attack two girls who are just chilling together,” they said.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Valentine's day wishes, messages and quotes !