Dayabai, the well-known Malayali social activist who works among the tribals of Madhya Pradesh, has complained of verbal abuse by her co-passengers during a train journey from Ernakulam to Rajkot.
Ironically, she was going to her destination after attending various events in connection with the World Women’s Day in Kochi.
The co-passengers, who belonged to a family of four with two children, passed derisive comments about her looks and the tribal activist, who has won several awards for her selfless work among the tribals, says she could not hold back her tears for the rest of the journey.
The abuses were hurled while one of the family members was talking on the phone. “Look at her face, is she a man or a woman?” Dayabai heard the speaker on this side of the conversation as saying.
When the social worker complained of too much noise in the compartment, citing railway rules to such effect, the Jamnagar-bound family felt offended and demanded that they be shown the rule book.
Then they advised her that she should rather have taken a flight, instead of travelling by train.
According to Dayabai, the family, whose members were randomly occupying the seats in the compartment, resented the fact the she had urged them to open the door, which was locked from inside.
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