Indore to witness ‘Shurpanakha Dahan’ on Dussehra, burn effigy of women accused of killing husbands, including Sonam Raghuvanshi
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Indore Men’s Rights Group Plans Controversial Dussehra Protest Against Women Accused of Killing Husbands
In a bold and divisive move, an Indore-based men’s rights organization called Paurush has announced plans to burn effigies of women accused of murdering their husbands during this year’s Dussehra celebrations. The group, focused on men’s rights issues in India, wants to symbolically target what they see as rising cases of adultery, immorality, and lack of values among some women.
Paurush says they’ll create a special effigy featuring posters of 11 women from across the country who face charges of killing their spouses. At the center will be the face of Sonam Raghuvanshi, a local woman whose case has grabbed headlines in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Other names on the list include Nikita Singhania, Suchana Seth, Harsha Parihar, Hansa Patel, Muskan (known as the "Blue Drum Woman"), and the Meerut woman dubbed "Vish Kanya."
Ashok Dashora, president of Paurush—which stands for People Against Unequal Rules Used to Shelter Harassment—explained the idea to . "We all burn Ravana’s effigy on Dussehra to destroy evil like arrogance and ego," he said. "But in today’s world, we’re seeing more young women caught up in adultery, immorality, and indecency. So, on October 2 for Vijayadashami, we’ll burn this effigy as a symbol to fight those negative trends and planned crimes."
Dashora, who’s championed men’s rights for 15 years, stressed that the protest highlights "malignant and shameful" behaviors, not women in general. The event draws from the Shurpanakha Dahan tradition, linking it to modern social issues.
But the plan has sparked fierce backlash, especially from women’s rights activists. Divya Gupta, president of JWALA NGO in Indore, slammed the idea as outrageous. "I’ve seen the poster, and it makes me furious—who gave them the right?" she told . "We worship Goddess Durga for nine days, and now they’re turning Dussehra into this ugly attack on 10-11 women. Do these women represent all of us? What about the countless women facing daily torture, rape, eve-teasing, and other crimes? Who’s speaking for them?"
Gupta urged the local administration to deny permission for the effigy burning. "We shouldn’t promote such toxic thoughts," she added. As Dussehra approaches, this controversy over gender rights, Dussehra protests, and women’s safety in India is heating up debates in Indore and beyond.
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