 A women’s separatist group in the Indian-held Kashmir on Wednesday told people not to celebrate Valentine’s Day, saying it promoted “immorality”.
“We appeal to Kashmiri Muslims to avoid celebrating such events which have been prohibited by Islam,” the Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughters of the Faith) said in a statement issued in Srinagar. Valentine’s Day, feted on February 14, “spreads immorality and we appeal to Kashmiris, the younger generation in particular, to avoid it,” the group said.
| They're talking about St. Valentine's Day. In our end of the world it promotes love and affection. I'd say I see their problem, but we already knew what their problem is. |
The group, which has campaigned for a decade to “eradicate social evils from society” besides supporting the Kashmiri terrorists freedom fighters, has branded Valentine’s Day a “deep-rooted conspiracy of the West to involve Muslims in their vulgar culture”. The outfit also asked shopkeepers not to sell “Valentine cards and other gifts related to this un-Islamic event.”
“We warn restaurant owners not to organise any functions on Valentine’s Day,” the group added, without specifying what action it might take.
Dukhtaran activists in the past have raided shops, confiscating ValentineÂ’s Day cards and making a bonfire out of them. It has also smeared acid paint on women not wearing head-to-toe veils and harassed dating couples.
KashmirÂ’s 10 million population is socially conservative, but over the past few years couples in the region have been seen dating more openly in parks and restaurants. Moderate and hardline separatists have rallied around the group, saying it is doing a good job fighting immorality. |