Bhumata Brigade’s Shani temple entry reignites intolerance debate - Trupti Desai is AAP agent, say critics

January 26, 2016, NewsCrunch

The crackdown on Bhumata Brigade’s members enroute to Shani Shingnapur temple and the arrest of its leader Trupti Desai has reignited the intolerance debate in the country.

Bhumata Brigade has made repeated attempts to enter Shani Shingnapur temple, where it says the worship practices discriminate against women. Men are allowed to make offerings such as oil while women are prohibited.

Trupti Desai says there is nothing traditional about the ban on women. She says she used to offer oil when she was a child. The prohibition is just a whim of the local villagers, she claims.

The controversy started when a woman jumped on the temple platform, which has Shani idol, in November, and worshipped it. The temple priest purified the platform provoking Bhumata Brigade to step in.

Trupti Desai’s struggle is getting international attention as well.

The Independent recently reported that Trupti Desai’s group of female activists will help bring about a “revolution” against gender inequality in India.

Not much is known abut Bhumata Brigade except that in 2011 it had come out in support of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption campaign and organised several rallies.

But her activism drew the ire of the Hindu groups on social media, which dismissed her as an AAP agent, who was targeting Hindus.