Mangalore, Aug 5: Gulabi Gang leader Sampat Pal Devi is ready to open branches of her movement in Karnataka if people of the state are ready to take initiatives.
Addressing the gathering at a workshop on distress management for women, self-defence techniques, organised by the Vivek Traders here on Tuesday to commemorate Mangalpady Namdev Shenoy she exhorted the oppressed and subjugated women to raise their voice against atrocities and harassment.
Advocating stringent action against rapists, she said a permanent tattoo should be etched on the forehead of a rapist that he is a rapist. “He should suffer till the end,” she said.
Major (retd) Bhavana Bhavana Chiranjay taught participants on self-defence mechanism. Namadyeya' authored by Santhosh Thammaiah was released on the occasion. Counsellor Usha Jagirdar also spoke.
Later addressing media persons Ms Devi said that the intention behind the formation of the women's gang is to fight injustice against women and protection of their rights.
She said that her movement was trying to educate the women so that they know their rights. “In cases of domestic violence, we go and talk to the man and explain why it is wrong. If he refuses to listen, we get the woman out of the house, then beat him. Laws are good in India but those who implement the laws are corrupt,” he said.
“My desire to free women from their daily oppression led me to bring women in the village into a gang. During my childhood I was never allowed to study, whereas my brothers used to go to school. I heard from my parents that education is for boys and that girls should learn to manage the household. This distinction never made me happy. I opposed the tradition and came out of the clutches of slavery that was being practiced in Uttar Pradesh. Unless we change ourselves, corruption cannot be rooted out from the society,” Devi said.
She said that she has contested in election as Congress candidate in Uttar Pradesh, but that has nothing to do with her Gulabi Gang movement. "My gang is apolitical and free from corruption," she asserted.
"We have units in all districts across Uttar Pradesh and each unit is headed by a commander. I have sacked four district commanders following complaints of looting in the name the gang," she said.
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