Sunday, November 9, 2014
'Kiss of Love' campaign reached Jawaharlal Nehru University
The 'Kiss of Love' campaign
reached Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday evening as over 200 students and
many outsiders gathered at the Ganga Dhaba to make a statement against moral
policing. However, there were fewer participants locking lips and more spectators
cheering. Unlike Saturday, there was no disruption by right-wing groups, nor
was any cop in sight.
Though most
protesters were from JNU itself, students from Jamia Millia Islamia, Ambedkar
University, National Law University and Delhi University also turned up. They
shouted slogans against right-wing organizations and also directed their acrimony
at PM Narendra Modi.
The protesters
marched towards the cross-section of Tapti and Sabarmati hostels, demonstrating
right in the middle of the road. Left-wing student groups like AISA and SFI
threw their weight behind the movement; JNUSU president Ashutosh was also
present.
"This is to
condemn the onslaught of Sangh brigade on the right to protest, in front of the
RSS headquarters at Jhandewalan on Saturday, and to take forward the resistance
to structures and forces of patriarchal control as well as to assert the right
to love in all its forms," said Gourab Ghosh, one of the organizers of the
Delhi edition of the campaign and a JNU student. Lip-locks ensued with kissing
by both gay and straight couples thrown in for good measures. Hugs clinched the
matter.
'Kiss of Love' was
expected to be uninhibited on Sunday as there was no one present to browbeat
the protesters. There were around eight kisses in all before the protesters
dispersed. "The point is not the number of kisses, but the message we want
to put across. Protesting against regressive groups is vital," said
Prince, a protester from Kerala in JNU.