A group of women in the Northern India state of Banda are taking justice in their own hands. Dressed in candy pink saris, they wield lathi--traditional sticks--and call themselves "Gulabi Gang," or pink gang. Like a swarm of angry army ants, they attack men who have abused or abandoned their wives, corrupt politicians and feckless policemen.
(Images from UK's Daily Mail and Marie Claire)
Banda is one of the poorest states in India, and the women usually have it the hardest. Over 1.6 million of the population are of the Dalit or Untouchables caste. And most of the members of the pink gang live in huts with no running water or electricity.
The leader of the gang, Sampat Pal Devi, was married off when at the age of nine. From that harrowing experience, she has worked to return young girls back to their homes. Men are also joining the gang. Although the tactics are far from nonviolent resistance, this pink gang is changing laws and perceptions of equality and justice.
From UK's Daily Mail:
Aarti Devi, 25, says: "On my own I have no rights but together, as the Gulabi Gang, we have power. When I go to fetch water, the upper-caste people beat me, saying I shouldn't be drinking the same water as them. But because we're a gang, they're scared of us and will leave us alone. Six months ago, a woman was raped and we went to the police station. The officers initially refused to take the complaint, but together, we were able to force the police to take action. We dragged the police officer from the station and beat him with our sticks. We are not against men. We are for the rights of everybody and against people who don't believe in that."
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