Indians employ Facebook and knickers to combat extremists

LONDON - Facebook is being used by thousands of Indian women to co-ordinate an unusual message of protest against an extremist group that has assaulted women for visiting pubs and bars in India.

is planning to send pink knickers to the Sri Ram Sena (Lord Ram's Army), which has also censured unmarried couples planning to spend Valentine's Day together.

The Facebook group was founded in protest after the Sri Ram Sena attacked several women in a pub in Mangalore last month. It now has more than 10,000 male and female members.

The group was started by journalist Nisha Susan who told The Times: "[The group] wasn't a serious thing at first, but now it's becoming something bigger.

"Most of us are just regular people. We decided to give the Sri Ram Sena attention, but not the kind they want."

The group has asked its supporters to send in pink knickers, which it will post to the Sri Ram Sena on Friday.

Pramod Mutalik, who heads Sri Ram Sena, is currently on bail following the attack in which as many as 30 were arrested.

Mutalik says it is "not acceptable" for women to go to bars in India. TV footage of the attacks showed men chasing and beating up women.

As women tried to escape some fell and were kicked by Sri Ram Sena men.

According to The Times the idea came about because the Indian slang for knickers, "chaddi", is also applied to members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, an umbrella nationalist group which includes the SRS.

Susan told the BBC News website it was sending chaddis as they alluded to a prominent Hindu right-wing group whose khaki-shorts-wearing cadres were often derisively called "chaddi wallahs" (chaddi wearers).

Susan said: "We chose pink because it is a frivolous colour." 

You have

[DAYS_LEFT] Days left

of your free trial

Subscribe now

Get a team licence 

 Give your teams unrestricted access to in-depth editorial analysis, breaking news and premium reports with a bespoke subscription to ±±¾©Èü³µpk10.

Find out more

Market Reports

Get unprecedented new-business intelligence with access to ±±¾©Èü³µpk10’s new Market Reports.

Find out more

Looking for a new job?

Get the latest creative jobs in advertising, media, marketing and digital delivered directly to your inbox each day.

Create an Alert Now