The Kerala's Kiss of Love that created hullabaloos in India: Explained

A group of youths, led by short filmmaker Rahul Pasupalan, have created a Facebook page for "kiss of

".

Though the police and many other political parties have been discouraging and opposing the event, the organisers confirmed that the event is still on!

What is 'Kiss of love'

• Thousands of people accepted the invitation to kiss in public as "an expression of love" at Marine Drive at the shore of Kochi, Kerala.
  

• The message is slowly spreading to people living outside Kerala also.

• According to the organisers on the Facebook page, "Moral policing is a criminal activity. Most political parties and religious organisations try to do that. A group of young bloods join their hands together to prove to the society that kiss is the symbol of love."
  

Why is the event planned

• A television had aired news, alleging immoral activities at a hotel named downtown café.

• A coffee shop in Kozhikode was vandalized by members of a youth wing affiliated to the BJP.

• The claim was that the cafe was used by young students for dates, which they deem unacceptable.

• ‘Kiss of love' protest is against the vandalism of the shop.

• It is also against the 'moral policing' act conducted across Kerala by various political parties in the name of right and wrong.

• The incident had created an outrage in the social media and support has been pouring in for youngsters' right to express their love.

Opposing the event

• The Vishwa Hindu Parishad or VHP has said it will "legally challenge" the attempt to gather people for public display of affection.

• The placards used for promoting the event, were torn up by 2-3 men whose identities were not disclosed.

• Even the police has refused permission for the rally.

Why the opposition

• Some of the people who are opposing the event have agrued that the event is a bad precedent and "is not safe for wives and children."

• "Since the alleged programme is not sponsored by any known group or organisation there is no authenticity to the news being spread," said the police.

• Police said that in such a situation, it is not wise to go for any direct action but instead initiate legal action and create public awareness against this.