Kiss of Love' protest outside RSS office in Delhi, 70 held

[email protected] (CD Network)
November 9, 2014

New Delhi, Nov 9: As a gawking crowd watched, scores of activists Saturday locked lips in the midst of a busy Delhi street to protest moral policing and support the Kiss of Love movement in Kerala. At least 70 protesting students were detained but were let off within half an hour, police said.

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The protesters, including many women, mainly from Left-leaning student organisations, gathered outside the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office near Jhandewalan Metro station in central Delhi in the afternoon.

As a few hundred curious onlookers gathered around them, a few of the protesters locked lips. The activists also formed a human chain on the road and blocked traffic.

As word spread of the 'Kiss of Love' protest, some Hindu groups arrived at the spot holding banners that said "Pyar karna theek hai, par sanskriti ke khilaf jana theek nahin hai" (It is alright to love, but one should not go against Indian culture).

The banner had a picture of a kissing couple with a large cross across it. Soon a scuffle broke out between the protesters and right-wing supporters. The Hindu groups accused the Kiss of Love organisers of going against Indian culture.

The All India Students' Association (AISA), Students Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF) were the student groups participating in the protest. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the youth wing of the RSS, condemned the Kiss of Love protest.

Blaming the Left-leaning organisations involved in Saturday's protest, the ABVP in a statement said: "All the Communists walked the streets of Delhi to kiss (actually smooch) each other publicly with the intention of corrupting young minds and to indulge in immoral activities. Next time, they might sleep together on the roads to fulfil their fantasies.

"Shame on such organisations and individuals who think of themselves as moral police and are forcing their version of Western morality on common people," the statement added.

Photographs of the Kiss of Love protest went viral on social networking websites. The Facebook page of the Kiss of Love campaign had registered over one lakh likes up to 7.30 p.m.

The Kiss of Love protest first started in Kochi last week as a symbolic resistance to the rising moral policing in the state. A similar protest was organised in Kolkata Friday.

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Udupi: The pontiffs of Sri Paryaya Puttige Mutt, the sacred seat of Jagadguru Shrimad Madhvacharya Moola Samsthanam, have submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister seeking comprehensive development for Udupi district. 

Proposal for International Airport

A key request is the establishment of an international airport. Highlighting that around 1,000 acres of land are available and suitable, the pontiffs noted that the existing Mangalore Airport provides limited international connectivity. They suggested the airport be developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or as a Greenfield Airport to boost trade, education, healthcare, and spiritual tourism.

Metro and Rapid Transit Connectivity

The proposal also calls for Metro Rail or Rapid Transit between Mangaluru and Udupi. The 55 km coastal stretch experiences heavy daily commuter traffic, causing congestion. The district administration is ready to prepare an initial project report for a Mass Rapid Transit corridor and requested inclusion under national urban mobility programmes to ensure safe, green, and time-efficient regional transport.

Port and Coastal Development

The pontiffs urged the development of an international-standard port with a cruise terminal along Udupi’s coast. They also requested fast-tracking of pending coastal tourism projects and revising Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms to encourage sustainable infrastructure and hospitality investment.

IT, AI and Technological Infrastructure

Support was sought for an IT and AI Innovation Park with incubation facilities under Digital India and Startup India initiatives. The proposal also emphasized the need for strengthened data security and cloud computing infrastructure to boost India’s technological independence.

Sports and Education Initiatives

The pontiffs requested national sports status for Kambala, along with financial and infrastructure support. They also sought the establishment of an AIIMS in Udupi, a new IIT campus, and approval for an IIM to promote higher education in the district.

Representation to the Prime Minister

Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Pontiff and Sri Sushrendra Tirtha Swamiji represented the pontiffs in submitting the comprehensive development proposal to the Prime Minister during his recent visit.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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