With the Romantic days celebration In 2010, just as much as fifty people in the fresh new Indian Couples Party put down inside the quick teams for three coastlines into the Chennai. Supporting this new people banner-a pink, orange and you may eco-friendly tri-the colour, about what the Taj Mahal seems inside a center in depth in an equivalent colors, which have an arrow compliment of they-it roamed Marina Coastline, Besant Nagar Beach and you may Fantastic Beach, remaining view more romantic couples. Kumar Sri Sri, a former cosmetics singer in addition to party’s inventor and you will president, was at , the guy told you, he watched people in conservative Hindu groups “make protests, rip greeting cards, and you will show off your themselves by the conducting canine marriages in front of the Gandhi sculpture, much to your shame out-of couples sharing the second toward seashore.” One thing only had worse, he told you, “if the police appeared, and you can began harassing [couples] to possess social monitor off love.”

Next to the ILP’s election symbol-a glass of strawberry freeze-cream-the fresh poster also sent new party’s motto, “Couples around the world, unite

In response, one same 12 months Kumar formed the latest ILP so you’re able to endorse for “brand new government out-of like.” The guy registered a beneficial PIL on the Madras High Court, looking to prohibit governmental and you can spiritual teams out of harassing people. Though you to definitely case continues to be pending, to your Valentine’s yearly since 2008, the fresh ILP’s “lovers”-once the party’s users label themselves-keeps patrolled the newest coastlines, whilst submitting delicious chocolate and you may campaigning on the party.

These include a no cost concert tour of the “like memorial Taj Mahal for everybody lovers,” and guarantees of support to have people hoping to get ilies otherwise teams

This year, the brand new ILP’s operate got added urgency-Kumar, today thirty-six years of age, is actually reputation since the a separate applicant regarding Chennai South constituency on then Lok Sabha elections. For the Marina Coastline, green prints fluttered on the mud, proving a beaming Kupaign promises. ”

“All the evils off people will likely be eliminated by using like marriages,” Kumar informed me a short while later on within his office, a rented room off a maze out-of thin lanes from the domestic neighborhood out-of Kodambakkam. The newest structure was basically plastered having red posters impact lives-size images away from Kumar, and old mattresses, data and you can computer system screens was loaded in one part. Kumar didn’t express people numbers of cluster energy, but stated “anyone who enjoys” due to the fact an ILP user. The guy together with said the newest party got aided get married 50-four lovers thus far. The ILP’s job is funded out-of a count on to your hence the such lovers are expected in order to lead, and of which they are all participants, together with from the efforts away from “admirers.” The fresh new party’s manifesto, created completely to the “ideology away from like,” has applying for grants anything from impoverishment and you may terrorism to caste reservations and you will globally home heating.

Kumar are optimistic in the their opportunity regarding next elections, and you will believed that like was problems “which issues the newest teens of the nation.” “In the event the you can find whenever fourteen lakh voters when you look at the south Chennai, then i should get regarding you to lakh of your ballots,” he said. That will be a huge improvement toward their just prior election outing; from the 2011 condition elections, the guy obtained dos.4 percent of choose inside the south Chennai’s Thyagaraja Nagar constituency, dropping from the an effective margin off 56 percent to Vice-president Kalaira party, and that today rules Tamil Nadu. Kumar wished this particular go out up to however gain benefit from the assistance of brand new partners. “There are many almost every other parties-Dravidar Kazhagam, Communist Group from Asia, and you can Telangana Rashtra Samithi-who will be support my team in the Chennai,” the guy said. “I will usually stand for issues that try a familiar city of concern for all these types of functions.”

But Vice-president Kalairajan wasn’t concerned about Kumar’s problem into AIADMK. Speaking over the telephone, he disregarded this new ILP because an effective “frivolous musing perhaps not well worth [my] day.” “He is not creating something that has not yet become given for from the our very own bodies,” he said. “Amma”-AIADMK commander and you will Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa-“donates more than nordics sexy women 3 or 4 crore to your desperate on the birthday celebration annually.” Compared to that, the guy questioned, “how much does [the new ILP] need to give?”

Kumar, although not, appeared unfazed of the severe facts out of electoral politics. “I stand for the main cause of like, which is not really the only objective of every one party,” the guy said.