Surat: 10,000 students to take a pledge 'no marriage without parents consent' on Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has always garnered mixed reactions from people in India. While some people look this day as 'day of love' and express their love publicly, certain groups find this day as 'threat' to Indian culture. 

In Surat, a voluntary organisation, Hasyamev Jayate will be organising a very rare event where 10,000 students from 12 schools will pledge that they will never marry without their parents' consent. 

Some of the schools include Sanskar Bharti in Palanpur Patiya, Presidency High School in Adajan, Sanskar Kunj Gyanpith, Swaminarayan MV Vidyalaya, Sun Grace Vidyalaya, Navchetna Vidyalaya in Varachha, and Gyan Ganga Vidyalaya.

In this event students will be pledging to marry their love with parents’ consent only, even if it means ending an ongoing affair.

"These days, many youngsters fall in love and take an impulsive decision to get married. Many even run away from homes and get married, but such relationships turn out to be short-lived. We want to promote the importance of parents' guidance when it comes to taking such a big decision of life," Masalawala was quoted as saying by Times of India.

This initiative has been undertaken by Hasyamev Jayate, a voluntary organisation run by therapist Kamlesh Masalawala. He also runs a number of clubs in the city.