Making a point: Agni Sridhar speaking at a press conference

The Rama Sene's anti-Valentine's Day tirade is only making people more determined to celebrate the festival of love on February 14.

Don-turned-writer Agni Sridhar is one of them. He's been celebrating Valentine's Day for the last 15 years.u00a0 "I would simply wish my wife on Valentine's Day but this year I will offer her a rose," he said.

Sridhar regrets that he couldn't do justice to the day when he first learnt about it.

"That time my life was in a mess and so I could not celebrate the day. Now, every day I make time for my wife and children. On Valentine's Day too I will spend time with my wife," he said.

Sridhar also plans to give roses to other people who celebrate the day.

'Follow Krishna'

Historian N V Narasimaiah is all support for youngsters who want tou00a0 express their love openly.

"Lord Krishna is himself the icon of love. Even when his sister Subhadra wanted to marry Arjun, he fought with Balram and let his sister marry her love. Lord Krishna himself had a love marriage. Moreover, Lord Ram pined for his wife Sita when she was abducted. Wasn't this love? If the moral cops are calling everything obscenity, what about the carvings on our temples?" he wanted to know.

Learn these numbers on Valentine's Day

If you decide to step out on Valentine's Day to celebrate your love, make sure you're armed with the helpline numbers put together by the Progressive Organisations' Federation (POF).

The numbers are:
>>Agni Sridhar, thinker and journalist: 9448353546
>>BT Lalita Nayak, former minister and literateure: 9448067193
>>Dr Siddanagowda Patil, secretary, CPI: 94480 87594
>>Kodihalli Chandrashekar, president, Karnataka State Farmers' Organisation: 9844293908
>>Indudar Honnapura, general secretary, Karnataka Sarvodaya Party: 9448048306
>>Pattanagere Jayanna, state president, Karunada Sene: 9845061744
>>Prof N V Narasimaiah, historian: 9448338889
>>Gurushant, working committee member, CPM: 9448239114
>>Venkatswamy, president, Samata Sainik Dal: 9844185332
>>Mavalli Shankar, president, Dalit Sangharsh Samiti: 9845027456
>>Patapat Nagraj, president, Praja Vimochana Chaluvali: 9448100848
>>Laxminarayan Nagawar, president, Dalit Sangharsh Samiti: 9449059393
>>Manjunath Adde, journalist and thinker: 9448465233
>>Talakad Chikkarangegowda, general secretary, Karunada Sene: 9845056075
>>Ramesh, president, Yuvajana Jagruti Vedike: 9480608809