The young activist from Maharashtra had a bold plan to enter a holy place that barred female worshippers.
On Republic Day, the biggest question for Trupti Desai was whether she would be able to enter the temple in Shani Shingnapur, a temple located at a village in western Maharashtra. The problem was that as a woman, Desai is not allowed to set foot on the open platform where the idol is installed.
Desai, founder and president of the Bhumata Brigade, an activist group in Pune, decided to upend the status quo. She made grand plans to march to the village with 1,000 women and if they were barred at that point, to swoop down from the sky in a helicopter and land on the platform where the idol is installed.
Residents of Shani Shingnapur and right-wing religious groups bitterly opposed her plans, but she was not deterred.
#MarchOnWomen | Stories of struggles and conversations on feminism, CNN-IBN’s @anuradhasays speaks to Trupti Desaihttps://t.co/8lP5RjpXYX
— CNN-IBN News (@ibnlive) March 7, 2016
If detained, will hold CM responsible,says Trupti Desai who is enroute Trimbakeshwar tmpl with her brigade @ibnlive pic.twitter.com/g3x5iA5HHI
— Radhika Ramaswamy (@radhika1705) March 7, 2016
@TimesNow Trupti desai can pray from wherever she likes.She’s got nothing else to do but to create divide. She will be unsuccessful
— Lutyens ke lootere (@Egghead_Indian) March 7, 2016
Trupti Desai’s bank acc should b investigated foreign cash. This is beyond ridiculous. She’s disrupting Mahashivratri too!
— Radhika✦#Apostate (@RpG_89) March 7, 2016
And not to forget, there were obvious jokes about her as well.
This man has guts!
He is creating havoc for Women rights!Waat!! ? She is a woman!!
Lol!! Sorry..😀 Trupti Desai pic.twitter.com/60pGwOCCUJ
— Nationalist Monk (@kendentshering) March 7, 2016
Trupti Desai fame hungry lady and she just come in Media Highlight to war with Temple system.
— Abhishek Mishra (@AbhishekVHP) March 7, 2016
True face of Sanathan Dharma Ppl like Trupti Desai can spend a lifetime here Yet media suppresses this TVM gathering https://t.co/OSY31OVW6g
— Shree Panicker (@ShreePanicker) February 23, 2016