Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 12: Hindu Jana Jagruti Samiti has requested both city police commissioner, T R Suresh, and Dakshina Kannada district superintendent of police, Dr Ravikanthe Gowda, to stop improper activities people undertake as part of Valentine's Day, and instead, encourage celebrating February 14 as 'Parents' Worship Day' in schools and colleges.

The Samiti noted that February 14 has come to be celebrated as Lovers Day or Valentine's Day in the country since the last some years. "This is a blindly aping the traditions of the western world, and it is giving rise to immoral activities free of self-restraint. This also is being used as an occasion to pester, torture, and inflict sexual harassment on ladies. In the name of parties, youngsters indulge in drinking, smoking, and consumption of drugs which turns into a vice with passage of time as per surveys conducted," the petition submitted by the Samiti stated.

"We see on several occasions that in order to attract the attention of girls, some people resort to zooming around in vehicles at high speed. Some social service organizations have been spreading awareness through awareness campaigns among the people against celebrating Valentine's Day. At the same time, they have been celebrating Parents' Worship Day programme in schools, colleges, or public places. The main aim of this programme is to give rise to a sense of reverence and respect for their parents among the children at a young age," the Samiti has explained.

The Samiti also wants the police officers to set up special police squads with the aim of acting against people involved with improper activities or conduct. They should also issue suitable directions to celebrate Parents' Worship Day in schools and college, it has urged.

The delegation which presented the petition comprised of Madhusudan Aiyar, Lokesh Kuthar, Sathish Dharmendra, Upendra Acharya, Revati Mogera, Leela Nayak and Prabhakar Naik.