Bidari to make it easier for Valentine's Day

Bidari to make it easier for Valentine's Day


Express News Service
First Published : 09 Feb 2009 07:58:52 AM IST
Last Updated : 09 Feb 2009 10:34:05 AM IST

BANGALORE: What a friend the top cop is turning out to be for all the love bugs in the city! “Celebrate your Valentine without fear,” Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari has ordered. Here are some Bidari takes:

Pubs will be open till 11.30 pm.

Celebration of Valentine’s Day is in accordance with the spirit of our Constitution.

Any forcible obstruction of the celebration is punishable under section 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code.

Pubs, restaurants, bars and cards and gift stores that apprehend any attack by the moral police, must get in touch with the jurisdictional police station — they will be protected.

At a press meet that was all about Valentine’s Day and the city police’s readiness to ensure that the business of love is unhindered, Bidari warned that anyone taking law into their own hands in the name of moral policing will be dealt with firmly.

The Constitution has guaranteed the right to every individual, association or group of persons to observe their cultural norms, speak their language and practice their religion subject to the condition that such observance will not violate any provisions of the law of the land. “That said, the celebration of Valentine’s Day by individuals, groups or associations, is in accordance with the spirit of our Constitution and society,” the police commissioner said.

Any attempt to forcibly prevent or obstruct any individual or group from celebrating Valentine’s Day will amount to an offence punishable under Section 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code, Bidari pointed out.

“Certain organisations and individuals have threatened that they will forcibly prevent people from celebrating Valentine’s Day according to their wish and accord," Bidari said. “This is not correct and such acts will amount to an offence,” he added.

Warning all such organisations that they will be dealt with “stringently,” Bidari appealed to them to desist from such acts.

Protection assured

The commissioner said that according to the provisions of the Excise Act, pubs and bars will remain open upto 11.30 pm on Valentine’s Day. Full protection will be given to pubs, bars and restaurants to function normally up to 11.30 pm, subject to the licence conditions