Kochi: A group of youngsters in Kerala's Kochi, Kozhikode, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram have launched a campaign on the social networking sites to observe November 02, 2014 as the 'Kiss Day' to protest attack against a coffee shop in Kozhikode last week by BJP youth wing activists.
[Organisers of the event have invited couple to assemble at Marine Drive in Kochi Sunday evening to express their love as well as anger against moral policing. ]
Organisers of the event have invited couple to assemble at Marine Drive in Kochi Sunday evening to express their love as well as anger against moral policing. The kissing protest is the first such event in a state known for political activism and demonstrations for the silliest of reasons.
The police however denied permission for holding the "kissing session".
Down Town Cafe, a nine-month old hotel and restaurant started by a group of young entrepreneurs, was allegedly ransacked last week by a group of young radical political activists alleging it is a rendezvous for young lovers, mostly college students, in the city.
The attack on the hotel was provoked after a tv channel, owned by a rival political party, aired a report on October 23 with visuals of 'immoral activities' allegedly taken from the parking space of Down Town Cafe in Kozhikode that showed young couples kissing and embracing.
The 'Kiss of Love' campaign is being spread through Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites asking young men and women to kiss or hug in public, in protest against alleged moral policing.
The organizers said their aim was not to target any political party or group but to draw attention to the fact that it was not acceptable to intrude into some one's privacy citing flimsy moral reasons.
"Criminalization of affection and love is really bad. The attack against the coffee shop was just a trigger. Sadly this tendency is growing everywhere," Hindustan Times quoted S Rahul, one of the organizers, as saying.
The social media page "Kiss of Love" is already a big hit with more than 10,000 likes. And some Bangalore-based techies said they would be driving down to Kochi to participate in the event.
The LGBT (lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and trans genders) community has also pledged its support.
Organizers are expecting at least 10,000 couples to join the open kissing event.
"Lovers will kiss each other. We want to send a strong signal to moral police that violence can't overcome love," Rahul said.
Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in a press release said the "Kiss of Love" is being spread through social media and it is trying to find out whether the event is really being planned or it is a fake one.
"Since the alleged programme is not sponsored by any known group or organisation there is no authenticity to the news being spread. In such a situation it is not wise to go for any direct action but instead initiate legal action and create public awareness against this.
"The other news being spread in the name of VHP that we will physically prevent the programme is not genuine as we have not taken any such decision at the district or state level," said the VHP.
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