NaijaGists.com Latest News Updates
Valentine’s Day Celebration Banned In Indonesia, Officials Say It Promotes Western Decadence
Valentine’s Day Celebration Banned In Indonesia, Officials Say It Promotes Western Decadence
Valentine’s Day wasn’t getting much love in the world’s biggest Muslim majority nation Thursday as Indonesian authorities urged amorous couples to call it quits and carried out raids to quash any wayward gift-giving.
About 100 students in the second-biggest city, Surabaya, demonstrated against the chocolates-and-flowers celebration, saying it promoted Western decadence and casual sex
“Say no to Valentine’s now!” chanted the high schoolers, most of them teenaged girls in hijab head coverings. Some held placards with phrases like “Sorry Valentine’s Day, I am Muslim”.
School principal Arief Himawan warned that couples giving each other chocolates or other treats can quickly lead to sin.“We want to remind our young generation not to be caught up in Western culture,” he told AFP.
Authorities conducted raids in Surabaya, and Makassar city on Sulawesi island to snuff out any celebrations.
In conservative Aceh province — the only place in Indonesia that imposes Islamic law — a fresh Valentine’s prohibition was issued, citing religious norms.
People are publicly whipped in the region for a wide range of offenses including selling alcohol and gay sex and similar bans have been ordered in previous years.
While Valentine’s was off the cards for some, many Indonesians practise a moderate form of Islam and celebrate the day with chocolates and flowers for their loved ones.
Meanwhile in India, more than 10,000 schoolchildren, some as young as six, made a Valentine’s Day pledge not to marry without their parents’ consent. The vast majority of Indian marriages are arranged by families and couples who defy tradition to marry outside caste and religion face a severe and sometimes deadly backlash.
Some 10,000 pupils aged six to 17 and even some teachers took a vow at 25 schools to “love and respect their parents till eternity” in the western state of Gujarat — the stronghold of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I will always respect their decision because no one in the world has sacrificed for me like them,” said student Samadrita Banerjee.
People in swifty-changing but still largely conservative India also often frown upon unmarried couples who can find themselves being abused and harassed in public places.
Elsewhere, a school association in the southern state of Karnataka alerted teachers and parents to ensure children did not celebrate Valentine’s Day by bunking classes to go to shopping malls or the movies, The Times of India newspaper reported
Follow NaijaGists.com on Facebook and Twitter.
Jayde Ibrahim
February 14, 2019 at 5:23 PM
It is pagan celebration and nothing to be encouraged
Dem
February 14, 2019 at 7:14 PM
Based on level of your exposure @jayde, hypocrite with western name claiming fanatics
iron bar
February 14, 2019 at 6:42 PM
hypocrites..one of the most backward asian nation where religion cannot co exist.look at dubai days ago welcoming pope and shocked on how many diocese recorded in their nation.same saudis relaxed ban on female driving cars.read up its meaning of st val..mst will soon come up it clashed with roman culture celebration by pagans.always fear mongering and hate incitations.
DB
February 14, 2019 at 9:34 PM
Religion or not, what value does valentine day add to us as humans? I guess it has only contributed to ‘hit and run’ in the lives of young or unmarried people. Love your spouse, be true to your vows and if you are in a serious relationship, be true to it. You dont need valentine to affirm that. Unfortunately, even the world has turned upside down
Mon
February 15, 2019 at 5:39 AM
Good one bro…and this is one amongs what the oyibos are using to rob us our identity and culture.
Guy hunter
February 14, 2019 at 9:43 PM
Nothing like valentine
Danti
February 14, 2019 at 11:26 PM
Let them do whatever is good for their country, ours has no such collective will. Nigerians will not tell them what to do; we are in a mess in Nigeria.
mulikat
February 15, 2019 at 8:28 AM
Muslim want to take us back to beging of Islam 1,400 ys ago, everything is bad, immedately they will bring religion matter, to everything,Usman dan fodio, you will not see peace plus Afoja,if not this wahala, will not come to iyoruba land atall.
MADAM ERANKO
February 15, 2019 at 12:28 PM
YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING BECAUSE OF GOD, WHATEVER YOU DO, IT IS YOUR BUSINESS. GOD DO NOT NEED YOUR RELIGION