imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Human chains to :Category:Human chains (politics) per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

2021-05-23T07:30:11Z

Moving Category:Human chains to Category:Human chains (politics) per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

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{{short description|Chain of women formed on 1 January 2019 at Kerala}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox event
| title =
| image =Vanitha Mathil Kollam 6.jpg
| caption =Women's Wall at Kollam
| date = 1 January 2019
| place = [[Kerala]], India
| motive = To uphold gender equality and protest against gender discrimination in entry rules at [[Sabarimala]]
| organisers = [[Government of Kerala]]
| type = [[Human chain (politics)|Human chain]]
| participants = Around three to five million women
}}
'''Vanitha Mathil''' ("Women's Wall") was a [[human chain (politics)|human chain]] formed on 1 January 2019 across the [[India|Indian]] state of [[Kerala]] to uphold gender equality and protest against gender discrimination. The wall was formed solely by women and extended for a distance of around {{convert|620|km|abbr=off}} from [[Kasargod]] to [[Thiruvanathapuram]].<ref name="toi">{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/womens-wall-live-updates-massive-turnout-in-kerala-for-equal-rights/articleshow/67335718.cms |title=Women's Wall highlights: Massive turnout in Kerala for equal rights |date=1 January 2019 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101135700/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/womens-wall-live-updates-massive-turnout-in-kerala-for-equal-rights/articleshow/67335718.cms |archive-date=1 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/sabarimala-row-lakhs-to-form-womens-wall-in-kerala/articleshow/67334259.cms|title=Sabarimala row: Lakhs to form 'women's wall' in Kerala|date=1 January 2019|work=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=1 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101194055/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/sabarimala-row-lakhs-to-form-womens-wall-in-kerala/articleshow/67334259.cms|archive-date=1 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/womens-wall-in-kerala-live-updates-cpim-pinarayi-vijayan-hindu-outfits-sabarimala-women-rights-equality-5517878/|title=Women's wall in Kerala HIGHLIGHTS: Lakhs of women line up for 'Vanitha Mathil' across state|date=1 January 2019|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=1 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101090147/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/womens-wall-in-kerala-live-updates-cpim-pinarayi-vijayan-hindu-outfits-sabarimala-women-rights-equality-5517878/|archive-date=1 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Around three to five million women participated in the event.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/lakhs-of-women-join-hands-to-form-620-km-human-wall-for-equality-in-kerala-1971041 |title=Lakhs Of Women Join Hands To Form 620-Km "Human Wall For Equality" In Kerala |date=1 January 2019 |work=NDTV |access-date=2 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102113840/https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/lakhs-of-women-join-hands-to-form-620-km-human-wall-for-equality-in-kerala-1971041 |archive-date=2 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kerala-wall-50-lakh-women-form-620-km-vanitha-mathil-take-pledge-to-uphold-gender-equality-1421178-2019-01-01 |title=Kerala wall: 50 lakh women form 620-km Vanitha Mathil, take pledge to uphold gender equality |date=1 January 2019 |work=[[India Today (TV channel)|India Today]] |access-date=2 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103004804/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kerala-wall-50-lakh-women-form-620-km-vanitha-mathil-take-pledge-to-uphold-gender-equality-1421178-2019-01-01 |archive-date=3 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Background==
{{Main|Entry of women to Sabarimala}}
In Kerala, the [[Hindu]] temple at [[Sabarimala]] traditionally barred women between the ages of 10 and 50 from entering to worship [[Ayyappan|Ayyappa]]. Some people claimed women were barred because [[menstruation]] is impure, but devotees claimed they are not allowed because of the celibate nature of the deity.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/women-periods-hindu-holy-site-sabarimala-temple-kerala-india-supreme-court-menstruating-female-a8559531.html|title=India's top court strikes down ban on 'menstruating' women entering Hindu holy site|date=28 September 2018|website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/celibate-nature-of-lord-ayyappa-of-sabarimala-temple-protected-by-constitution-sc-told/articleshow/65139719.cms |title=Celibate nature of Lord Ayyappa of Sabarimala temple protected by Constitution, SC told |date=25 July 2018 |work=Times of India |access-date=11 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111130531/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/celibate-nature-of-lord-ayyappa-of-sabarimala-temple-protected-by-constitution-sc-told/articleshow/65139719.cms |archive-date=11 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2018, the [[Supreme Court of India]], in a historic verdict, allowed women of all ages to enter the temple, stating that any discrimination based on biological differences is clearly unconstitutional.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-45652182 |title=Sabarimala temple: India's top court revokes ban on women |date=28 September 2018 |work=[[BBC]] |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105112604/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-45652182 |archive-date=5 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The ruling coalition of the state [[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left Democratic Front]] welcomed the judgment, while opposition parties like the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] and the [[Indian National Congress]] launched protests opposing the verdict.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/women-have-the-same-right-to-worship-as-men-pinarayi-vijayan-on-sabarimala-issue-1369509-2018-10-17 |title=Women have the same right to worship as men: Pinarayi Vijayan on Sabarimala issue |date=17 October 2018 |work=India Today |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121182329/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/women-have-the-same-right-to-worship-as-men-pinarayi-vijayan-on-sabarimala-issue-1369509-2018-10-17 |archive-date=21 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Many Hindu groups protested against the judgment and the state government's decision to implement it.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/kozhikode/sabarimala-women-entry-hindu-outfits-to-intensify-stir/articleshow/66165874.cms |title=Sabarimala women entry: Hindu outfits to intensify stir |date=11 October 2018 |work=Times of India |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012091812/https://m.timesofindia.com/city/kozhikode/sabarimala-women-entry-hindu-outfits-to-intensify-stir/articleshow/66165874.cms |archive-date=12 October 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Wall ==
On 15 December 2018, Kerala's [[Chief Minister of Kerala|Chief Minister]] [[Pinarayi Vijayan]] announced after meeting with 176 social and political organisations that the women's wall would be held on New Year's Day to protect the renaissance values of the state.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kerala-gears-massive-womens-wall-event-all-you-need-know-94256?amp |title=Kerala gears up for massive Women's Wall event: All you need to know |date=31 December 2018 |work=[[The News Minute]] |access-date=2 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103055801/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kerala-gears-massive-womens-wall-event-all-you-need-know-94256?amp |archive-date=3 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/its-official-womens-wall-is-a-state-govt-programme/articleshow/66960568.cms |title=It's official: 'Women's wall' is a state govt programme |date=6 December 2018 |work=Times of India}}</ref> A theme song for the event by [[Prabha Varma]] was released.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.uniindia.com/slew-of-spirited-musical-expression-for-women-s-wall/south/news/1452171.html |title=Slew of spirited musical expression for women's wall |date=29 December 2018 |work=[[United News of India]] |access-date=2 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103060758/http://www.uniindia.com/slew-of-spirited-musical-expression-for-women-s-wall/south/news/1452171.html |archive-date=3 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 1 January 2019 at 4:00 pm, the wall was formed by around three to five million women along the national highways of the state of Kerala for around {{convert|620|km|abbr=off}}.<ref name="bbcwebsite">{{cite news |title=Sabarimala temple: Indian women form '620km human chain' for equality |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-46728521 |publisher=BBC |access-date=3 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102155229/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-46728521 |archive-date=2 January 2019 |url-status=live |work=BBC News |date=January 2019 }}</ref> The wall began in the northern end of the state by Kerala's Minister of Health and Social Justice [[K. K. Shailaja]] in [[Kasargod]], and ended in Thiruvanathapuram in the south with [[Brinda Karat]], leader of the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|Communist Party of India]].<ref name="toi" /> Activists of the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] and the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] reportedly tried to attack the wall in Kasargod.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2019/jan/01/suspected-rss-bjp-workers-attack-womens-wall-at-kasargods-chettukundu-journalists-assaulted-1919269.html|title=Suspected RSS-BJP workers attack women's wall at Kasargod's Chettukund; journalists assaulted|work=[[The New Indian Express]]|access-date=1 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102051132/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2019/jan/01/suspected-rss-bjp-workers-attack-womens-wall-at-kasargods-chettukundu-journalists-assaulted-1919269.html|archive-date=2 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the same day, in support of the event in Kerala, women's walls were organised in solidarity with Vanitha Mathil in other Indian cities, including [[New Delhi]],<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sabarimala-live-updates-lakhs-to-form-women-s-wall-in-kerala/story-8FL0j1qc8l0tlTxwJM490O.html |title=Sabarimala row HIGHLIGHTS: Delhi women support 'Women's wall' campaign, demonstrate outside Kerala House |date=2 January 2019 |work=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref> [[Mumbai]],<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/women-form-human-chain-in-mumbai-to-support-kerala-womens-wall/articleshow/67345513.cms |title=Women form human chain in Mumbai to support Kerala 'Women's Wall' |date=2 January 2019 |work=[[The Economic Times]]}}</ref> and [[Chennai]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/videos/videos-nation/2019/jan/01/chennai-women-form-vanitha-mathil-in-solidarity-with-kerala-womens-wall-105958.html |title=Chennai women form Vanitha Mathil in solidarity with Kerala Women's Wall |date=1 January 2019 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106154949/http://www.newindianexpress.com/videos/videos-nation/2019/jan/01/chennai-women-form-vanitha-mathil-in-solidarity-with-kerala-womens-wall-105958.html |archive-date=6 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The women's wall in Kerala became the world's fourth largest human chain ever made, and the largest formed solely by women.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/in-case-you-havent-noticed-yet-the-womens-wall-in-kerala-was-the-fourth-largest-human-chain-ever-1989125.html|title=In case you haven't noticed yet, the women's wall in Kerala was the fourth largest human chain ever|work=[[News 18]]|access-date=2 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103055935/https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/in-case-you-havent-noticed-yet-the-womens-wall-in-kerala-was-the-fourth-largest-human-chain-ever-1989125.html|archive-date=3 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:2019 in India]]
[[Category:2019 in women's history]]
[[Category:2019 protests]]
[[Category:History of Kerala (1947–present)]]
[[Category:History of women's rights]]
[[Category:January 2019 events in India]]
[[Category:Protests in India]]
[[Category:Women's marches]]
[[Category:Women's rights in India]]
[[Category:Human chains (politics)]]

Vanitha Mathil - Revision history

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Human chains to :Category:Human chains (politics) per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy