#KanganaRanaut tweet about #Mumbai being unsafe has led Twitterati to praise #MumbaiPolice for the way women feel safe in Mumbai. Such a view undermines the role of social movements in Maharashtra that were at the forefront in the battle against gender & caste oppression. #1

Let's not forget that till 19 century women - from Brahmin to Dalits- were prohibited from undertaking education. It was Savitribai & Jotirao Phule who went against the oppressive social norms & established school for girls in 1848, & laid the foundation for gender equality. #2

The anti-caste movement from S & J Phule, and Dr. Ambedkar to the Bahujan and Dalit Feminists has a bigger share is shaping the gender equality discourse!

So, next time you wonder why Mumbai/MH is relatively safe for women- the answer lies in the legacy of social movement #3