Hindu Hardliners Burn Valentine Cards

There was no violence as policemen cordoned off the area and prevented the Shiv Sena activists from marching through the sprawling Delhi University campus.

In the past, Hindu nationalists have ransacked shops selling cards and harassed young lovers seen holding hands in public.

On Monday, the protesters dispersed after chanting slogans.

Jai Bhagwan Goyal, New Delhi chief of the Bombay-based Shiv Sena, said multinational companies were promoting Valentine's Day to earn money through the sale of cards and posters.

"This is against Hindu culture and corrupts India's youth," he said.

The protest didn't have any impact on the university campus, as young students continued to move around exchanging flowers and cards.

The Shiv Sena organizes protests every year on Feb. 14 to demand a ban on Valentine's Day celebrations, but gets little response from the government.

Shiv Sena wants India to be a Hindu nation, rather than a secular, multi-religious one.

Valentine's Day has gained popularity in India despite being a cultural flashpoint. Conservative traditions have been buffeted by growing permissiveness among high school and colleges students and young adults