Woman in India have been taken for granted, they have been physically and mentally abused in many sections and stratas of society. Today there are still so many problems like the ongoing rapes in Delhi, molestations of foreigners in certain parts of the country and not to forget incidents where the women were pulled out of clubs and beaten on the streets. Instead of depending on government bodies or officials, one woman called Sampat Pal Devi, decided she had enough, she started the Gulabi Gang in Banda, one of the most backward parts in Uttar Pradesh. Gulab means a Rose in Hindi, the Gulabi Gang protects the powerless from those who abuse their power. They retaliate against violence of brutal husbands, crack down on those who abandon their family, fight corruption and they force reluctant police officers to register cases for underprivileged people. The gang has also help subsidised grain reach the poor people by ending corruption in the delivery system. According to Sampat, “Nobody comes to our help in these parts. The officials and the police are corrupt and anti-poor. So sometimes we have to take the law in our hands. At other times, we prefer to shame the wrongdoers” The woman are trained to fight with a staff or a lathi which is similar to a baton, except its made either of bamboo or a stem of a tree. The women have even trashed policemen to protest against the arrest of the poor. They do have peaceful protests as well and try to maintain peaceful means, their aim is to empower the Indian village woman who in India according to Sampat is not given an education, married too early, bartered for money. They are trying to help the village woman become independent enough to stand on their two feet, the Gulabi association is try to provide basic education to the woman as well as train them with skills like sewing so they can become sustainable. The woman in pink sarees have come a long way and still have a long way to go, try and help if you can! Here’s a short documentary on the Gulabi Gang and the work they do, its amazing! As Sampat puts it, “Mind you, we are not a gang in the usual sense of the term. We are a gang for justice.” Some information has been taken fron the BBC’s article on the Gulabi Gang
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