While groups like the Bajrang Dal, which has always been vocal of its opposition of celebration or unions on February 14 is at it again. Its threats of "marrying couples" or beating those found canoodling in public spaces has resulted in several events to condemn the day of love. But students on social media are fighting back. A slew of troll pages dedicated to the cause, with a pun-ventional twist, have also popped up and are uniting several youngsters with humour and sarcasm — by creating fake anti-V-Day protest events in colleges across India and indirectly ridiculing the propagation of hate.
Pages like Memestan and Desifeed, among others, are delivering a bag of laughs and drawing crowds from 2K to 22K. With names like "Shouting Ishq Ajooba hai Na Jaane Kitno Ke Leke Dooba Hai" (Love is a miracle, don't know how many have drowned in it), the fake events are along the lines of All India Bhakchod's Pyaar Ek Dhoka hai (Love is a trap) event in Bombay. It even has cheesy, sarcastic posts like, "Love is illusion and so is this whole Valentines week. For all of the singles out here, liking memes and watching Netflix/downloading from Torrent sitting alone, let's do something to show our hate towards this depressing thing we call Valentines Day."
This is another. A page called Valentine Day Protest by Bajrang Dal NITT is a shoutout to all the single males to save the nation, "Bhakto Bharat Bachao. All single males are invited to attend the event to protest Valentine's Day. Take one for the culture. Girls are not allowed to attend the event as it's #NITT. You can watch live #sanskar_tv or go to temple."
The events have all centred around the anti-valentine sentiment that is being promoted by the Bajrang Dal but has descriptions the likes of which differentiate the nature of their existence. A page called Shouting Pyaar Ek Dhoka Hai reads, " Love is an illusion and every couple ought to know that. Hence, we shall all shout "Pyaar Ek Dhoka Hai" on Valentine's Day to save couples from the disease that Love is. More details soon."
Furthermore, in Hindi, it says "As the western celebration of 14 February dawns near, we request you to join with us and thrash boys and girls engaging in this. Also report the Facebook Id's of those engaging in PDA." Whether you attend or not, these pages and events will most likely have you struggling to breathe and have you clench your sides in laughter.
The encouraging factor here, is how these troll pages have focused their energy (and all-consuming love) on an entity that is focused on making this day about war. Whether the events are all set to materialise or will remain an online phenomenon remains to be seen. The end result of these trollers and memesters has been positive and makes up a little for the freedom that has been suppressed.
Like Shakespeare once said,
What's in a name.That which we call a Rose, By any other name would smell as sweet...
The Valentine's Day tag may be a little under pressure right now, but these pages have managed to keep the love alive — or attempt to quell the impending hate.
So, what you waiting for? Go mark your attendance. PS: Extra points to all the 'single malezz'.
