Bhajan-kirtan replaces 'Kiss of love' campaign in Bhopal

Residents of Bhopal were seen crooning devotional songs at the new Raahgiri Day venue, Shahpura lake, on Sunday after 'Kiss of love' campagn fiasco.

Organisers of the 'Kiss of love' campaign cancelled their plan to hold a demonstration at the site on Raahgiri Day. However, despite the demonstration being called off, some Hindu organisations decided not to take chances. They turned up at the venue in large numbers, kept a vigil on the activities of the crowd, particularly youngsters, before leaving the venue at 11am. Some 'Sanskriti Bachao Manch' activists took to bhajan recital at the Shahpura Park and were soon joined by some more men, women and children.

The policemen, who appeared to be supporting groups accused of moral policing, had not allowed 'Kiss of love' organisers to hold a press conference on Saturday, making their stand amply clear. However, heavy police force was deployed at the venue on Sunday.

Sanskriti Bachao Manch (SBM) president Chandrashekhar Tiwari, while describing the 'Kiss of love' campaign as "obscene", said, "Despite organisers withdrawing the demonstration, our members visited the place to check that any 'unethical' activity does not take place on Raahgiri Day.

Tiwari said they organised bhajan-kirtan to create amiable environment for families and children to participate in Raahgiri Day celebrations.

"India is culturally and traditionally a rich country and we can't allow any obscene activities at public places which would indirectly affect our culture. We would also try to take permission from the administration to organise it in a big way," he said.

Sanskriti Bachao Manch will also hand over a memorandum to Bhopal Municipal Corportaion (BMC) commissioner to stop allowing people to play item numbers, he added.

However, participants at the event didn't agree with Tiwari on his demand to ban item numbers. A group of youths from Trilanga, Shipra Mishra and her friends, said, "If SBM members don't like Bollywood songs, they should not listen to them. Why are they creating a controversy over it unnecessarily?"