Kerala: Police say no to 'Kiss of Love'

Kochi: The proposed 'A Kiss of Love' programme on November 2 on the Marine Drive grounds, planned as a protest against moral policing, will not be given police permission, a top police official said on Wednesday.

A group of Facebook users had called for the programme to protest against the vandalism by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha volunteers on a hotel in Kozhikode last week, alleging that immoral activities were going on there.

The 'Kiss of Love' campaign, is a call by group of "Free Thinkers" led by short film maker Rahul Pasupalan, to come to Marine drive on November 2 to hug and kiss each other.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) R Nishanthini, said police have decided to reject permission for the programme. Rahul said that he had met police officials on Tuesday with a written request to permit holding of the event.

'We have not heard from them. But we are going ahead with the programme. We have not been told that permission has been denied', he said. Their Facebook post has received over 20,000 likes, he said adding they were expecting at least 200 volunteers to turn up for the event.

Even as some volunteers today gathered at the Marine Drive ground here with placards which read 'Freedom to Love', some protestors rushed to the area and tore them up stating that they would not allow any such event to be held. The VHP state unit said in a statement said they would take all steps to ensure that such an event is not held.

'Kiss of Love', is only being spread through social media and we are trying to find out whether it is really being planned or is a fake one. Also we are trying to find out the source and the people behind it', the statement said. Certain legal steps were also being taken to prevent the conduct of the programme.

Pointing that kissing in public was against Indian culture, VHP, however, denied reports that it would take steps to physically prevent the programme from being held.

"VHP will not take law into their hands to prevent people from participating in the event," the statement said.