Gulabi gang

The Gulabi gang (from Hindi gulabi, "pink", transln. "pink gang") is a group of women vigilantes and activists originally from Banda in Bundelkhand district, Uttar Pradesh, India,[1] but reported to be active across North India as of 2010.[2] It is named after the pink saris worn by its members.

The gang was founded in 2006 by Sampat Pal Devi, a mother of five and former government health worker (and a former child bride), as a response to widespread domestic abuse and other violence against women.[3] Gulabis visit abusive husbands and beat them up with laathis (bamboo sticks) unless they stop abusing their wives.[1] In 2008, they stormed an electricity office in Banda district and forced officials to turn back the power they had cut in order to extract bribes.[4] They have also stopped child marriages and protested dowry and female illiteracy.[2]

The group, which the Indian media portray positively, was reported to have 20,000 members as of 2008, as well as a chapter in Paris, France.[1]

A movie called "Pink Saris" has been made about them, directed by Kim Longinotto and premiering at the Toronto Film Festival in 2010 [5].

In January 2011, the gulabi gang helped a girl who had been raped by Purushottam Naresh, the local MLA from the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party. When the girl went to file rape charges, she was arrested under trumped up charges[6]. The girl's father approached the Gulabi Gang for help[7]; eventually the MLA was arrested[8].

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Fontanella-Khan, Amana (July 19, 2010). "Wear a Pink Sari and Carry a Big Stick: The women's gangs of India". Slate magazine. http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2010/07/wear_a_pink_sari_and_carry_a_big_stick.html. Retrieved 25 October 2011. 
  2. ^ a b Krishna, Geetanjali (June 05, 2010). "The power of pink". Business Standard. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/geetanjali-krishnapowerpink/397107/. Retrieved 20 July 2010. 
  3. ^ Biswas, Soutik (26 November 2007). "India's 'pink' vigilante women". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7068875.stm. Retrieved 20 July 2010. 
  4. ^ Prasad, Raekha (15 February 2008). "Banda sisters". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/feb/15/women.india. Retrieved 20 July 2010. 
  5. ^ http://womenandhollywood.com/2010/09/17/trailer-alert-pink-saris/comment-page-1/#comment-14444
  6. ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/-I-was-raped-twice--beaten-up-by-MLA--aides-in-police-station-/733576. "‘I was raped twice, beaten up by MLA, aides in police station’". Indian Express. 
  7. ^ "BSP MLA accused of raping minor gets victim jailed for theft". Times of India. Dec 30, 2010. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-30/india/28247216_1_purshottam-naresh-naraini-neelu. 
  8. ^ Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui (Jan 12, 2011). "Inquiry finds rape charges against 'impotent' MLA hold". Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Inquiry-finds-rape-charges-against-impotent-MLA-hold/articleshow/7264130.cms#ixzz1Aq6PdSvn. 

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