Day Forty-Six: enough is enough in Uttar Pradesh

Today a story from Banda in Uttar Pradesh (northern India). A tale that is sobering but ultimately hopeful, I feel. Several hundred women in Banda have formed a gang - noted for its uniform pink saris - aimed at exposing, shaming (and, if deemed necessary, punishing) corrupt officials and abusive men.

The 'gulabi gang' (pink gang) is led by Sampat Pal Devi, a seemingly articulate and formidable woman who found herself married at the age of 9 and a mother at 13, having received little education, and is motivated by such experiences to defend the rights of the poor, especially poor women. "We are a gang for justice," she says - and whilst exposing corruption and advocating for rights appears to dominate the gang's work, gang members have been known to use 'lathis' (a type of baton) to mete out justice too. Are such tactics justified? Are these women putting themselves at risk? (Similar questions ran through my mind when reading the 'Taxi Sisters' story - see Day Forty-Three of this blog.)

It's hard to judge as an outsider, but it is clear that these women - and men, for men are joining the pink gang too - feel their situation is desperate and requires an equally extreme response. Whether the 'grudging respect' now apparently shown to them by local officials will grow into something more significant, only time will tell. But the first step towards social justice must be to amplify the voices of the marginalised. And the 'gulabi gang' seem to be doing that - loud and clear.

(Picture courtesy BBC online.)