Pink Panties

Last month a Hindu mob attacked women who were drinking in a bar in the Indian city of Mangalore. The men who brutally beat these women, calling them whores and prostitutes, are members of a group called Sri Ram Sena, or Army of Ram. They consider themselves the "custodians of Indian culture" but others see this attack and others on women in India as an attempt to "talibanize" India. The group, led by Pramod Mutalik, is also against Valentine's Day. Last week he said: "Valentine's Day is definitely not Indian culture and we will not allow celebration of that day in any form."

Here's where the pink panties come in. A group of women in India have formed a group on Facebook called The Consortium of Pubgoing, Loose and Forward Women to fight against Mutalik and his group Sena. They also have a blog: http://www.thepinkchaddicampaign.blogspot.com/ The group, with over 40,000 members, last time I checked, is asking people to send pink panties (chaddis) to Mutalik on Valentine's Day. The website says: "most women in this country have enough curbs on their lives without a whole new franchise cashing in with their bully-boy tactics. Join in. Be imaginative, have fun and fight back!"

I joined the Facebook group because I love the name and I love the fact that women are fighting bullies like this is such a humorous way. Women really should be in charge of the world.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day everyone!