Sulabh International on Sunday announced a reward of Rs. 2 lakh to a woman from Madhya Pradesh who revolted against her husband and his family, demanding that the home have a toilet.
The revolt had endangered her marriage.
Tired of the humiliation of defecating in the open, Savita, from a Scheduled Caste, pressed her husband Dev Karan to build a toilet in their house in Mundlana village, Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh.
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When her pleas initially went unheard, Ms. Savita walked out of her husband’s home and returned to her parents, risking her marriage.
Only when the toilet was constructed did she return to her husband’s home.
An NGO worker associated with Sulabh International said Ms. Savita has set an example for other women in India’s villages.
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Saluting the courage of the Dalit woman and announcing a Rs. 2 lakh reward for her, Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak said, “For a person solely dependent on daily wages, taking such an initiative is highly commendable.”