Panther Party appeals fundamentalists ‘to leave Delhi before 14th February or face direct action’

On February 9, in a Press Conference, the President of the Delhi Pradesh National Panthers Party (DPNPP) Mr. Sanjoy Sachdev warns Shri Ram Sene and Shiv Sena of “youth mode of direct action consequences” if they did not withdraw their opposition call to Valentine Day. DPNPP members are out on Delhi streets today onwards to protect couples peacefully celebrating Valentine’s week from Ram Sene like extreme elements who claim to forcefully marry off those who are seen celebrating the festival in public areas.
For the past 7 years, DPNPP has been deploying teams comprising of party members and volunteers armed with dry red chilli and black pepper powder at the commonly targeted areas of New Delhi every Valentine’s Day to counter fundamentalist outfits who oppose the peaceful celebration of the festival claiming that it is against Indian culture. This year pepper spray manufacturer ‘Back Off’ has gifted 10 kits to the party and about 50 persons trained in Judo Karate volunteered to join the patrolling team.
A control room to deal with complaints by harassed couples seeking protection from the ‘moral policing brigade’ has been set up in the party office. The helpline number – 09313784375 - was first flashed on Radio City 91.1 FM on February 5. Since the activation of the helpline, Mr. Harsh Malhotra, Secretary General DPNPP, who is personally looking after all the complaints, has been receiving calls congratulating the party on their noble efforts.
1200-1300 students have called in to enquire how they could become a part of the DPNPP effort. Even if 50% of this figure actively participates in the campaign, it would be an added bonus to the 400 member force which will be split in teams of 5-10 at approximately 50 target sites all over Delhi. CP, DU North and South Campuses, Karol Bagh, Janak Puri, Buddha Garden, Lodhi Garden, Malviya Nagar, Madrasa, Hauz Khas Park, Green Park amongst others are already being closely monitored.
There have also been a few severe critics who have called in to say that they do not support the celebration of Valentine’s Day. “On the 6th I received a call from a representative of the Iskcon Temple asking me why we are encouraging Valentine’s Day Celebrations. His objection was that if we allow a boy to give flowers to a girl today, tomorrow the girl might get pregnant and by that time it would be too late. When temple-workers of a Radha-Kishan temple; Krishna being the symbol of love in Hindu mythology, think in such narrow terms, it is clearly visible where the rest of the followers of the faith derive their religious interpretations from” shares Mr. Malhotra.
In their previous efforts the Police was not as supportive of the DPNPP and last year some 17-18 members were kept in Preventive Detention under Section 65. This year the prty has sought the help of the police in its move and announced that if the police obstructed the Panthers from assisting the youth in celebrating Valentine’s Day, it would move the court of law.
Last year the Shiv Sena had openly threatened to attack those found celebrating Valentine’s Day through hand-outs distributed in DU North Campus. They even tried to create a ruckus outside the gates of Hindu College but could not succeed because students got together and handled the situation from getting worse. There were similar attempts by the ‘Sangh Parivar’ activists at Green Park and at the Wimpy’s outlet in CP too, which the DPNPP took care of.
Jai Bhagwan Goel has left the Shiv Sena and come up with the Rashtravadi Sena which DNPP members identify as their primary threat. Shiv Sena on the other hand has not publicised any plans to thwart the celebration of Valentine’s Day but they will, as they have been doing for the past 7-8 years, burn heaps of “vulgar” Archie’s Cards at Jantar Mantar “peacefully”, informs Vishwanath Dutta, Secretary, North India Division office. On the conflicting ideologies of the DPNPP and the Shiv Sena, he comments, “Who has even heard about the Panther Party? This is just a gimmick to catch media attention. We have been opposing the so called ‘modernisation’ of Indian culture since the very beginning i.e. from the time Manmohan Singh became the Finance Minister, and will continue to oppose these so-called ‘secular’ parties till the very end.”