Dukhtaran out to paralyse love in the Valley this Feb 14

Love is in chains in Kashmir, thanks to the Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), which has vowed to scuttle Valentine’s Day celebrations in the Valley.

DeM has asked shopkeepers not to sell V-day cards or gifts. Hotels and restaurants have been asked not to organise any function related to V-day or allow any couple in their outlets.

“We should uphold the values of Islam and desist from celebrating Valentine’s day, which is a reflection of western culture. We have asked the people not to allow the obscene culture to spread its tentacles here,” DeM chairperson Aasiya Andrabi said.

DeM is particularly focusing on hotels, public parks and gardens. “Last year, we told gift shops not to sell any cards or gifts related to V-day but they said they would suffer losses as they had already placed orders. This year we want to inform them in advance to desist from taking any such order to avoid losses,” Andrabi said.

DeM has a history of creating ruckus on this day. DeM’s burqa-clad women go  from shop to shop, seize cards and gift items and torch them. The moral vigilantes even raid hotels and thrash couples.

“There is already a snow festival going on in Gulmarg, which might give hoteliers a pretext to organise V-day functions. But we are appealing them to desist,” Andrabi said.

Kashmir Hotel and Restaurants Association (Khara), the apex body of hoteliers, seems to have fallen in line. “None of our hotels will organise the V-day function,” said Habibullah Mir, former president of Khara. The police, too, are keeping a close watch. “I would not like to comment on this issue. However, anybody doing anything illegal will be dealt with,” Srinagar SSP Syed Afad-ul-Mujtaba said.