Power To The Pink People!

'The Dalit movement is much more intense and dangerous now' is the headline of an article that tries to explain the roots of the discontent of the dalits or "untouchables" of India. Part of the political awakening of the dalits is attributed to their access to technology, and in particular blogs. Given that globalization is often touted as a technological and economic scourge on humanity, it can also have an opposite and more positive effect: Moving groups like the dalits in India to rise and fight for their rights.

Satish Kalsekar, publisher and activist, says, "The Dalit movement is much more intense and dangerous now than ever because Dalits are aware of the injustice due to a casteist society. They are educated and will not keep silent. It is the responsibility of other castes to see that they are treated well."

Now, the demeaned castes are getting information with as much speed as any other classes. In Mumbai there are four Dalit dailies that include the Vishwa Samrat and Lok Nayak along with a number of bloggers and websites helping in the percolation of information.

Dangle says, "Dalits are not only well-aware of their rights now but they want a share in resources. They know power, wealth and status has been the privilege of upper caste but now they are all set to struggle to have a share of power, wealth and status in society."

Which is why the story of the story of the neon pink avengers of the Gulabi gang becomes increasingly compelling.

According to ancient Hindu texts, each caste or varna of humanity was born of the body of the Hindu divinity Purusha. As the body has a certain organ hierarchy, so do the varnas. This is why the caste or varna defines their members' social, economic and political status. Yet because dalits were not borne of the divinity of Purusha, the 160-250 million members of this "non-human caste" are denied equal rights in society.

The Indian government has created a sort of "equal opportunity" system that has served dalits well in urban areas. It's in the rural areas though, in the fight for access to water, land, food, education and especially criminal justice that scores of clashes are growing in violence.

If dalits are the "subhuman" and castless of India. Poor women and children within the dalit are at the bottom of all Indian society. The women of the Gulabi gang came together about two years ago in an attempt to take justice into their own hands. Their mission is simple: To stamp out corrupt government officials and bring equal justice to their people.

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."

These Pink Vigilantes want to get rid of local police who deny the dalit justice. They have also taken ito another evel of social justice vigilantism by attacking government officials who deny them equal access to water, farming supplies and other resources.

Last year, after receiving complaints that a government-run shop was not giving out the food it was supposed to hand out free to the poor, the gang kept watch on the owner.

One night, they saw two truckloads of grain on their way to the market, where the shop owner was planning to sell them and pocket the profits.

The Pink Vigilantes pressured the local administration to seize the grain and so they ensured that it was properly distributed.

It's why now men have joined forces with these women, swelling the ranks of the gang to more than 300 hundred. Contrary to popular opinion, their leader, Sampal Pat Devi is not a male-bashing gynocentric radical. She describe the gang as "a gang for justice" that has no qualms in reuniting abandoned wives with their husbands since "women need men to live with".

"The best thing is that these women will take up anyone's cause as long as it's genuine, not only those of its members".

You go grrrls!

Power to the pink people!
Image Credit : Image by Barcroft Media, found at The Daily Mail.

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