Pramod Muthalik and his crack-pot brigade of Ram Sena group assaulted women at a pub in Mangalore, India recently.  The group objects to women drinking alcohol, dressing in western clothes or spending time with male friends and so on. Surprisingly, they do not have any objections to the men doing the same. They believe that it is their moral responsibility to keep women from transgressing, much like what we see and hear of in the Arab world. They have tried to abuse, molest and assault women, who are seen in company of male friends. The group has threatened to disrupt Valentine’s Day celebrations and marry off couples seen together on the day in the state of Karnataka. Now, doesn’t this sound like “Talibanisation” to you?

I am very impressed with the unique way the women in India have kicked off their non-violent opposition to the bully-boy tactics! The Pink Chaddi Campaign opposes the Ram Sena. The group launched a drive to send pink underwear to the Sena chief on Valentine’s Day. There is a step-by-step instructions with the address to post the packages to. The campaign is growing exponentially.  Of course, a lot of men have joined the group as well. On Valentines day, women in India are going to be in Pubs, whether they drink alcohol or not, to show their solidarity and to raise a toast to the freedom of women worldwide.

I have admired the brilliant creative campaign of Amul. They stay current with the news. Here is Amul (the butter company, as I knew it when I was a child!) expressing their solidarity with the Pink Chaddi campaign.

And their expression on the “Pub Bharo” (Get to the Pubs) movement:

Most women in India have enough curbs on their lives, in general and can do without this additional one!

Go girls! Cheers to the power of pink!