Not so rosy for Gulabi Gang
The pink shade has somewhat paled and it is the vibrant green, white and orange that now dominates her life.
Sitting atop a white jeep, Sampat Pal, leader of the Gulabi Gang (a local vigilante group of women all dressed in pink), moves through the dusty and parched terrain, greeting people with folded hands and seeking their votes. Those who are used to seeing her with a lathi in hand are bemused.
“Aaj tak lathi chatkati thi — aaj haath jod rahi hai. Rajniti sabko seedha kar deti hai (Till now she used to tap the stick and today she is folding her hands. Politics makes them all straight),” says Rajkumar Nishad, a motor mechanic as he moves on his bicycle.
Sampat Pal, who attracted political attention with her Gulabi Gang that was formed in 2006, has been fielded by the Congress on the Manikpur seat. A series of meetings with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and one with Rahul Gandhi earned her the ticket.
“I was called to Delhi two years ago to meet Soniaji who asked me about the Gulabi Gang. I told her the members of the Gulabi Gang get together to fight against injustice — whether it comes from abusive husbands, corrupt politicians or unresponsive officials. All of us, dressed in pink saris and wielding lathis, use pressure tactics like demonstrations, dharnas, slogan-shouting to make the husbands, officials or politicians toe the line and give justice,” she says.
Sampat Pal, a victim of child marriage and domestic abuse herself and a mother of five, is confident of victory. “Mujhe auraton par poora vishwas hai. We have struggled together and worked together and the women understand what problems we face in everyday life,” she says clearing her throat.
Pal’s aide Geeta, is brimming with excitement and confidence. “If Didi (Sampat Pal) wins, she will make others in the Gulabi Gang to contest elections and one day we will call the shots. Tab danda hamare haath mein hoga (we will hold the baton),” she says.
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