Phoolan Devi is a towering icon of resistance for so many of us

For many marginalised women like me Phoolan Devi is an inspiration. In a scenario where justice is delayed & denied what phoolan did was right! She snatched a small part of justice for herself.

However, never heard a word in defence of Phoolan Devi from them, haven't seen this in their discourse on rape laws & rights of the survivor.

Phoolan was assassinated on 25th of July, 2001 outside her residence in New Delhi. Sher Singh Rana, the murderer of Phoolan Devi was awarded a life-sentence along with the fine of Rs. 1,00,000 INR in 2014, after a ten-year long criminal trial in court.

Phoolan Devi surrendered to the police in 1983 in Madhya Pradesh & she faced the criminal trial. She also successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket in 1996.

Post Nirbhaya rape case in 2012, upper caste feminists were seen demanding that the rapist be killed and the rape survivor shouldn't be charged with criminal case if she kills the rapist in self-defense.

Phoolan Devi was gang-raped by 22 thakur men in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh on . All those 22 rapists were shot dead by Phoolan and her gang on 14th February, 1981.

Today is Phoolan Devi's death anniversary. Phoolan Devi is a towering icon of resistance for all the marginalised women who have been a survivor & victim of caste-rapes & assaults in this country.