OK ... to than meets the eye to this one as usual!
It seems that a young woman decided to leave home herself and study at the ashram in Farrukhabad run by the Adhyatmik Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya (PBKs). He parents were against it but she was a major (over 18), not a minor, and so legally permitted to do so.
It appears a, somehow, a radical women's group called the '
Gulabi Gang' (means Pink Gang) became involved and ransacked the PBKs premises in the presence of the police, insulting and manhandling the PBK Sisters and Brothers who lived in the ashram, and looted whatever they could find.
The police then took many PBKs Sisters from the ashram to the police station where all of them gave a statement that they are living there voluntarily and happily. They were then allowed to return, which they all did. Looking into the matter further, there is no suggestion of any sexual impropriety this.
The woman in question had neither been abducted, nor was she a minor. She had simply gone to the ashram to study of her own will and, on doing so, it appears she herself informed the local Superintendent of Police and the Police Inspector about her intentions as are the PBKs rules.
When questioned by the police, she gave a statement in favour of AIVV.
The '
Gulabi Gang' (
different link) members have continued to create troubles for the ashram. On 1 September 2011, they again entered the ashram and ransacked it, damaging two vehicles and seriously injuring an elderly, physically handicapped gentleman who lived there.
I can understand the upset of the parents but it appears that the attack is part of a longer term animosity on behalf of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University towards the AIVV. Before the incident an individual claiming to be a BK follower for 30-40 years rang up to the AIVV center in Delhi and sought the phone number of Farrukhabad center threatening them and that BKs all over India are using this situation to their advantage by attacking the PBKs, Baba Veerendra Dev Dixit and AIVV to the extent possible.
If this is all true, and none of it sounds outlandish, it marks a new depth in the hostility of the BKWSU towards the AIVV. How they involved the Gulabi Gang and press is another question but this has many similarities to the usual allegations made by the BKWSU against the PBKs.
See also:
more video,
and more.
The Gulabi Gang (pink gang) is a women vigilante group in the area of Banda in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state. They wear pink saris and go after corrupt officials and boorish men with sticks and axes. Several thousand now proudly associate themselves with the group. They have learned to strike fear in the hearts of wrongdoers and have earned the grudging respect of officials. They even shun political parties and NGOs because, in the words of their feisty leader, Sampat Pal Devi, "they are always looking for kickbacks when they offer to fund us".
The women have thrashed men who have abandoned or beaten their wives and unearthed corruption in the distribution of grain to the poor. They have also stormed a police station and attacked a policeman after they took in an untouchable man and refused to register a case. Usually, they are great defenders of the poor and downtrodden.
What raises my suspicion is the wording of the press release. More on this later, I am sure.