The Braveheart Lady of Rajkot

The Braveheart Lady of Rajkot
Originally uploaded by firozeshakirphotographerno1

photo article courtesy Times of India

Rajkot woman stages semi-nude protest against dowry demand
5 Jul 2007, 0219 hrs IST,TNN
RAJKOT: Conservative Rajkot went into convulsions on Wednesday when alleged mental and physical abuse by her husband's family drove a 22-year-old woman to strip to her underwear and walk through the city in protest.

Pooja Chauhan said she had taken to this unique protest after being constantly harassed for not bringing dowry and bearing a girl-child.

The effect was immediate. The police arrested her husband Pratapsinh Chauhan, parents-in-law and neighbours Veji Bharwad and Vinu Dalit on Wednesday, after she threatened to scale up her protest and march nude to the police commissioner's office if she did not get justice.

"The arrests were made on the basis of Pooja Chauhan's complaint. We are also planning to take action against Pooja for indecent behaviour in a public place. However, we will examine her mental condition before taking any action," said Rajkot police commissioner K Nityanandam.

Residents in the busy thoroughfares of Race Course Road and Yagnik Road were left gaping in shock on Tuesday evening as Pooja walked in her inner-wear, wielding a baseball bat and bangles, headed for the police commissioner's office.

She walked for about an hour and went home later as the police commissioner was out of station.

Police sources said Pooja had a love marriage with Pratapsinh, a resident of Gandhigram area, about three years ago, but her in-laws kept harassing her for dowry. The harassment increased when she gave birth to a daughter eight months ago. She finally left home five months ago and has been living on her own with her daughter, Anjali.

Sources said police inaction on her complaints had driven her to stage such a protest. "When her complaint against her in-laws failed to evoke any response, she tried to immolate herself at the office of the police commissioner last Friday but police personnel stopped her," said a source in the commissionerate.

my poem

married tortured for dowry
by her husband and her inlaws
puja chauhan
the braveheart lady of rajkot
stripped to her inner garments
a baseball bat she walked down the road
enough is enough she said
i wont be a scapegpoat
my complaints
the cops dont register or note
hand in gloves with th inlaws
it is alleged
these cops of rajkot
she is mad a rumour they float
with a single act of defiance
the sucked system she smote
yes a new history
on the emancipation
of women beaten in domestic
violence she wrote
society male dominated
has no right
to throttle a womans throat
she single handedly has rocked the boat
with news from times of india
through my poem i quote
womans rights more important
than a sleazy politicians vote



timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Semi-nude_anti-dowry_protest/...