Trupti Desai
Trupti Desai is an Indian gender-equality activist and the founder of Bhumata Brigade, a Mumbai based social activist organization. With her Brigade she has campaigned to get entry for women in various religious places like Shani Shingnapur Temple, Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur and Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple.
Personal life
Desai was born in Nipani taluka in the Indian state of Karnataka.[1] Her father left the family for an ashram and she was raised with her two siblings by her mother.[2] She studied home science at the Pune campus of Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women's University but discontinued after first year due to family problems.[3]
Desai is married and has one son. Her husband Prashant claims that she is "extremely spiritual" and is follower of Gangangiri Maharaj of Kolhapur.[4]
Activities
In 2003, Desai was a social worker with Krantiveer Jhopdi Vikas Sangh that helped rehabilitate slum dwellers.[1] From 2007 to 2009, Desai had staged protests against the financial irregularities at the Ajit Cooperative Bank involving a fraud of ₹50 crore (US$7.4 million). In January 2009, she lead a group against the then deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar. An arrest warrant was issued against her in 2013 for heading the group that allegedly "slapped the effigy of Pawar, used abusive language and held an illegal agitation despite prohibitory orders".[5] She founded the Bhumata Brigade in 2010. Since it's formation on 27 September 2010 the brigade has grown from 400 to 5000 registered members as of January 2016.[1] In 2011 she also participated in the anti-corruption movement. She contested the 2012 elections for the Pune Municipal Corporation from Balaji Nagar ward as the member of Indian National Congress, but lost.[4]
Religious places
In November 2015, a woman entered the Hindu shrine of Shani Shingnapur Temple, where women were not allowed. The priests of the temple then suspended the security guard then on duty and also carried out a cleansing ceremony of the idol. This event of discrimination towards women agitated Desai, who along with other members of her Brigade staged various forced entries into the shrine. The state Government and the district level court of Pune directed the temple officials to allow women in the shrine based on their constitutional rights. On 8th April 2016, the day also celebrated as Gudi Padwa, the new year day of the Maharashtrian calendar, Desai along with other female members of the Brigade entered the shrine of Shani Shingnapur Temple.[2]
Post Shingnapur entry, Desai reached to the Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur where the temple management committee allowed her entry but the priests became violent against her. She also entered the inner sanctum of the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple near Nashik where she was peacefully escorted by the police, but only with wet clothes similar to how the temple allows men.[2]
In April 2016 she made an attempt to enter the Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai where angry mob made it unsuccessful. Desai claimed that she received a death threat if she again tried to enter the dargah, which is a worship place of Muslims.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 Goyal, Prateek (30 January 2016). "Meet Bhumata Brigade's Trupti Desai: Devout Hindu, aggressive activist". The News Minute. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- 1 2 3 Anand, Geeta; Raj, Suhasini (29 April 2016). "Forging a Path for Women, Deep Into India’s Sacred Shrines". NYTimes. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ↑ "Shani Shingnapur temple entry ban row: Who is Bhumata Ranragini Brigade's chief Trupti Desai?". Zee News. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- 1 2 Joshi, Yogesh (29 January 2016). "Trupti Desai: The woman spearheading Shani Shingnapur protest". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ Chavan, Vijay (3 October 2013). "Activist gets arrest warrant 4.5 years after FIR is filed". Pune Mirror. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ Hebbar, Prajakta (29 April 2016). "Trupti Desai Claims There's A Bounty Of ₹1 Lakh To Stop Her From Entering Haji Ali". Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 May 2016.