Riad- Lucknow (AsiaNews) – Yesterday Saudi religious authorities pronounced an anathema against the "pagan" and "Christian" holiday celebrated on St. Valentine's Day.

The Saudi daily, Al-Riyadh, defined the lovers' holiday "A Christian-pagan feast day" and said "Muslims who believe in Allah and judgment day shouldn't celebrated or acknowledge it, much less exchange greetings with one another."      

The Arabic language newspaper, referring to a fatwa issued on the matter, urged Muslim faithful to "shun the holiday so as to avoid God's anger and punishment."

Around 6 million foreigners live in Saudi Arabia, many of whom are Asian workers who are used celebrating St, Valentine's Day.   

There has also been heated discussion about the holiday in India, a country having a Hindu majority population and whose constitution guarantees freedom of worship. Ved Prakash Sachchan, a militant in the Bajrang Dal Hindu organization, said in a threatening tone that "we will not allow there to be any foreign holiday which goes against Indian culture."  

"We will not allow Indian culture to be westernized, in that St. Valentine was a Christian," he added. Sachchan threatened to "shave the heads of those" celebrating St. Valentine's Day.

Another Hindu extremist group, Shev Sena, allied with Prime Minister Vajpayee, threatened to beat anyone celebrating the holiday with "bamboo sticks".   

Anish Patel Patel, a student at the Indian University of Gujarat said that "such celebrations do not go against Hinduism" and stressed that despite the threats he will celebrate St. Valentine's Day.

Last year, Indian nationalists attacked shops selling St, Valentine's objects and giftware. Police, though were called to the scene, did nothing to intervene. (P.B.)

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