Bengaluru: Expressing opposition to the Kiss of love event, proposed to be held on November 30, Manjula Manasa, chairperson of State women’s commission, urged the Home minister not to grant permission to it describing the campaign as uncivilised.
Holding such street events to express opposition to moral policing is contrary to our culture. She also said that state government should not allow the campaign to be held which had already faced opposition from most members of the civil society.
Meanwhile Home minister speaking to media said that the government would not allow demonstrations that go against the state’s culture. However the protesters are free to hold demonstrations within the constitutional framework. If the protesters take law into thier hands, the local police will take action.
Ministers, including Ramalinga Reddy and Umashree have opposed it. While Ms. Umashree said that public display of affection is “against our culture”, Mr. Reddy advised activists to take up a Gandhian way of protesting. Motamma, Congress MLC, who is part of an expert committee looking into cases of sexual assault on women and children, argued that though she was against moral policing, it was not proper to go to “another extreme” to oppose it.
Several other Ministers in the State Cabinet, Congress and BJP leaders, besides Hindutva proponents, have already expressed their opposition to the event. A faction of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti has also opposed it. Sri Rama Sene leader Pramod Muthalik has even threatened to take the law into his hands if the campaign is held.
While K.S. Vimala of Janawadi Mahila Sanghatane speaking to media said, “It is ridiculous to oppose the Kiss of Love campaign in the name of culture, though we believe that a protest of this kind is a knee-jerk reaction rather than a sustained movement necessary to empower the young.”“We need to understand this as a reaction to the extreme Right’s effort to curb the freedom of young people. It is time to look at the deeper roots of the issue.”
