Hard-line Hindus protest against Valentine's Day

India's Hindu hard-liners are showing no love for Valentine's Day. A few dozen protesters briefly blocked a road in downtown New Delhi on Wednesday, burning Valentine's Day cards and chanting "Down with Valentine." In the nearby city of Lucknow, extremists threatened to beat up couples found celebrating their love.

"We are deadly against Valentine's Day," said Sapan Dutta, a regional leader of the hard-line Shiv Sena group. "We are for civilized love and affection."



The protests by groups like Shiv Sena, who say they are defending traditional Indian values from Western-style promiscuity, have become an annual media event.

But they appear to be fighting a losing battle, particularly in India's cities, where a booming economy has brought with it all the trappings of Western culture, including McDonald's, MTV and of course, Valentine's Day.