Events 8212; Pune

Stripped of dignitySeems like the past week wasn't a good one for women. On March 28, the Shramik Mahila group took out a morcha at the P...

Stripped of dignity
Seems like the past week wasn8217;t a good one for women. On March 28, the Shramik Mahila group took out a morcha at the Parvati Darshan Police Chowkey to demand the arrest of the men responsible for the stripping of a female on March 14.

According to the lady, a resident of the Saibaba slums, four men stripped her. She then managed to run to the nearby police chowkey and was given a sheet by the cops to cover herself. When she narrated the incident, unfortunately, the police did not register it as a complaint. And so far, no FIR has been lodged. One hopes that the morcha succeeds in doing what the ghastly incident failed to do.

Women in chains
Respect is not something one even thinks of when the person concerned is a sex worker. And that makes it doubly sad. With no one to take their woes to, the commercial sex workers in Pune held a press conference at Patrakar Bhavan on March 25. Their main concerns were the growing atrocities inflicted upon them by the landlords of the brothels 8211; like charging exorbitant rents and filing false complaints. The women have even written to the police commissioner about this but so far nothing has happened.

Crackin8217; crockery
Finally, here is news that is not upsetting. In fact, shopoholics may even get on a new high with this. On March 25, an exhibition of crockery from Jaipur was inaugurated at the Tilak Smarak Mandir. Anything that goes on the table and is made of bone china was on display. The rates suit every wallet 8211; right from Rs. 15 for a cup to Rs. 9,040 for a 90-piece gold-plated dinner set. The exhibition is on till April 7.

Team spirit
White T-shirts with bold tri-coloured letterings. Banners with the numbers four8217; and six8217; painted on them. Colourful streamers. And, of course, the Indian flag. This is what groups of gals in the city have been busy arming themselves with 8211; to march into the Nehru Stadium on March 30. 8220;But that8217;s not all. Earlier, we even had plans to camp outside Hotel Blue Diamond all night on the eve of the match, just to cheer our team,8221; gushes a collegian. Considering that the misplaced gesture of goodwill may just have cost the cricketers some much-needed sleep, thank God for certain abandoned plans!