The 'Kiss of Love' campaign reached Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday evening as over 200 students and many outsiders gathered at the Ganga Dhaba to make a statement against moral policing. However, there were fewer participants locking lips and more spectators cheering. Unlike Saturday, there was no disruption by right-wing groups, nor was any cop in sight.
Though most protesters were from JNU itself, students from Jamia Millia Islamia, Ambedkar University, National Law University and Delhi University also turned up. They shouted slogans against right-wing organizations and also directed their anger at PM Narendra Modi.
The protesters marched towards the cross-section of Tapti and Sabarmati hostels, demonstrating right in the middle of the road. Left-wing student groups like AISA and SFI threw their weight behind the movement; JNUSU president Ashutosh was also present.
"This is to condemn the onslaught of Sangh brigade on the right to protest, in front of the RSS headquarters at Jhandewalan on Saturday, and to take forward the resistance to structures and forces of patriarchal control as well as to assert the right to love in all its forms," said Gourab Ghosh, one of the organizers of the Delhi edition of the campaign and a JNU student. Lip-locks ensued with kissing by both gay and straight couples thrown in for good measures. Hugs clinched the matter.
'Kiss of Love' was expected to be uninhibited on Sunday as there was no one present to browbeat the protesters. There were around eight kisses in all before the protesters dispersed. "The point is not the number of kisses, but the message we want to put across. Protesting against regressive groups is vital," said Prince, a protester from Kerala in JNU.
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