Empowering women ~ DurgaVahini

June 3, 2006

Empowering women ~ RSS style

www.thestatesman.org/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=118606

BHOPAL, June 2: From using swords and guns to staging dharnas and burning effigies ~ the cadres of Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) are being trained at everything here.

The training camp began last week at Saraswati Shishu Mandir, a school run by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and will continue throughout this week.

On any day from morning to afternoon, one can see around 200 girls and women in the age group of 15 to 35 years being taught to use swords, knives, guns and basics of different martial arts.

They are also being taught how to successfully enforce shutdowns of markets, burn effigies and block roads.

The aim behind the VHP’s training programme is to make their women cadres more confident, bold and vocal.

The training camp has been named Shaurya Prashikshan, which roughly translated to English would mean bravery training.

“Empowering women is the need of the hour. Today crime against women is on the rise. We want to fill our girls and women with self confidence. So we are imparting training to them,” said Ms Vandana Pandey, the local convener of the VHP.

“Moreover, we want our women cadres to raise their voice against burning issues of the nation. So we are teaching them how to protest the wrong decisions of the government or ruling parties in a successful way,” she said.

“No doubt, our organisation has been named after Goddess Durga, the Goddess of Power. So we want our women to be powerful and such trainings are only the way,” said Ms Pandey.

“After joining this training camp, I have become disciplined and confident. I will attend such camps in the future too,” said 18-year-old Ms Shreya Chauhan, an activist of Durga Vahini.

“I have come to know about the greatness of the ancient Indian culture after joining this camp. This camp has instilled a sense of confidence in me,” said Ms Manorama Singh, another cadre.

“We have experts in Durga Vahini who know how to handle and use firearms and other weapons. At times we take the help of retired soldiers of the army,” said Ms Chuahan.

With the BJP being the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh, the VHP has not taken permission from police for organising the camp which is mandatory as training is being imparted in the use of firearms and other deadly weapons such as swords and knives.

“No permission has been sought from us by the organisation,” said a local police officer on condition of anonymity.

“We have come to know that some girls suffered injuries during mock fights but we are unable to do anything,” he added. A senior police official said he was not aware that such a training camp was being organised.

The VHP at present has plans to impart training to its women cadres in the BJP-ruled states only.

A similar camp was organised in Jaipur from 18 to 25 May. “The next training camp will be organised in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur,” said Ms Pandey.