The Bhumata Brigade is an activist organization in state of Maharashtra, India, dedicated to fighting injustice against women and corruption. They are most well known for their protests against the banning of women from worship at places of worship, including Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar, Maharsthra, and the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Founded in 2010 in Pune, India, by 2016 they reportedly had 4,000 members, including some men. A branch of the organization Bhumata Ranragani Brigade, focuses on women's causes, including the Shani temple protests. They are also sought out for assistance by victims of eve teasing, dowry issues, and physical or sexual assault. The organization's founder is activist Trupti Desai.
Other protests include: high prices of onions and other vegetables; exploitation of farmers and farmer suicides; the rape of a child in Mumbai; the Lokpal bill agitations with Anna Hazare; and more. Bhumata Brigade is not aligned with any political parties in India. Desai has fought for election on the Congress Party ticket in the past.
Shani Shingnapur temple protests
The Shani Shingnapur temple has a 400-year tradition of not allowing women to worship at the altar, where there is idol of Shani. On 26 January 2016, India Republic day, a group of 500 protestors in buses was stopped by police near the town of Supa, 70 km from the temple.