Mumbai, India - Hindu nationalists ransacked a shop in Mumbai and torched a pile of Valentine’s cards in a protest against Western values, according to reports on Monday.
A group of some 30 activists from the Shiv Sena party, or Lord Shiva’s Army, inspected shops across the city on Sunday before barging into one and making a pyre of snatched cards in the road outside.
“We had warned all shops in advance not to sell these cards. We are not against love but we don’t want people to celebrate Valentine’s Day as it’s a Western concept,” a Shiv Sena official told the Hindustan Times.
Colleges in the city also warned students not to celebrate the day on campuses because of concerns of violence, according to reports.
Hindu groups have in previous years attacked shops selling Valentine’s Day items.
However, newspapers are running articles on celebrating the day, adverts are promoting romantic nights out while shops in the city’s malls are selling chocolates, heart-shaped trinkets and cuddly toys.
Mobile phone subscribers were even sent junk texts advertising special romantic ring tones for Valentine’s Day.