When seats at a Kerala bus stop were split into three separate ones to ensure that boys and girls from a nearby college don't sit together, students opted to sit on each other's laps, defying the moral policing that was being carried out. Pictures they posted of the same went viral on social media and as a result, the Mayor has now made a promise to set up a gender-neutral waiting facility.

It was the pictures posted by students of College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET) that went viral, after which, Thiruvananthapuram city Mayor Arya S Rajendran visited the area on Thursday, July 21.

After visiting the area, the Mayor, in a Facebook post, said the manner in which the bench was cut into three seats was not only "inappropriate", but also "unbecoming of a progressive society" like that of Kerala.

She said that there is no ban on girls and boys sitting together in our state and those who still believe there should be such a prohibition are still living in ancient times.

"One can only sympathise with those who do not understand that times have changed," she added.

Appreciating the stand taken by the CET students, Rajendran said a responsive generation is the hope for the future and the local authorities were with the students in the matter.

She further said the bus stand was dilapidated, unauthorised and lacking clearance from the Public Works Department and therefore, a new gender neutral one with modern facilities will be built there by the municipality.

CPI(M)'s youth wing DYFI also reacted to the incident, saying that those who try to impose old-fashioned moral concepts and do not believe in gender justice are a danger to society.

Such people need to realise that the world is changing, the DYFI state secretariat said in a statement and added opposition to freedom of movement and personal liberty under the guise of moral policing will not be accepted.

It said that vandalising the bus stand bench to prevent boys and girls from sitting together was offensive and unacceptable.