Bhumata Brigade president Trupti Desai said she would be asking the chief minister for a ban on Hindutva organisations like Sanatan Sanstha following the warning letter to Kolhapur journalist Subhash Desai.
Readers may recall that the letter received by the journalist mentions that Trupti Desai escaped, but he (Subhash) would not escape. Ms Desai is spearheading the movement for women’s equality, especially in the sanctum of temples. So far, Shani Shingnapur and Ambadevi temples in Ahmednagar and Kolhapur have been opened up for women. Trimbakeshwar temple has so far not taken any stand.
Answering a question about whether police had provided her security, Ms Desai said that the police had earlier asked her to file an application for police security. “If the police feel that my life is in danger, they can give security. But I won’t ask for it,” She said.
Readers may recall that Ms Desai had received a warning letter on February 12. The anonymous letter had warned warning that she ‘could become Dabholkar’ if she persisted with the demand of taking darshan of the Shani idol from the prohibited Chauthara (platform).
Anti-superstition activist and rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar was murdered due to his views.
Replying to that letter, Ms Desai said, “The fight for vichar (opinion or thought) should be fought with vichar, not by degrading oneself.”
Whoever wrote the letter should declare his name and show he is a mard (man). We are not scared by such threats. In fact this will help us in intensifying our struggle for equality,” the activist stated. Ms Desai also said that she would be coming for darshan in Trimbakeshwar. “We will not meekly accept anything about queues and delays. We will come to Trimbakeshwar after two days with sanman (respect) and take darshan, she said.
