Mangalore gets ready for Valentine's Day

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If Mangaloreans did not pay much attention to Valentine's Day before - they will certainly know it is approaching this year.

Ironically, this is largely due to the Sri Ram Sene and it's leader Pramod Muthalik - a fallout of their attempt to stop this day being celebrated.

The threats sound almost ridiculous - the Sri Ram Sene says it will forcibly marry off couples found being romantic in public on Valentine's Day. But given the track record of this group and what they are capable of - the administration in Mangalore says it is ready for them.

"We will ensure that the whole Valentine Day celebration or whatever you may call is uneventful as far as law and order situation is concerned," said V S Acharya, Karnataka Home Minister.

"For Valentine's Day we have a bandobast scheme where you have 120 to 130 constables exclusively for this job," said Satheesh Kumar, SP, Mangalore.

At least some young people in the city are defiant.

"Nobody can stop them, not the Rama Sene at least. It is their personal thing so let them do it. And this marrying and all that stuff - it sounds really funny actually," said a girl.

"They will be behind bars for one - because we are all underage - so they cannot get us married!" said a boy.

Thanks to the threat by the Ram Sene there is more attention being paid to Valentine's day than would ever have happened in the city's history.