Pink in the time of Sri Rama Sene

A jeans brand is handing out a can of pepper spray with each pink pair. MiD DAY asks women what they feel about the unusual freebie

Pink in the time of Sri Rama Sene

A jeans brand is handing out a can of pepper spray with each pink pair. MiD DAY asks women what they feel about the unusual freebie

A jeans brand is giving away a free pepper spray with each pair of pink girls' jeans.

Some are taken aback, others puzzled by this unusual freebie. Is it because people who wear jeans are easy prey to the Sri Rama Sene-style hooligans on the road? Are jeans so provocative that girls who wear them need to carry pepper sprays with them?

A company representative said, "Our jeans start at Rs 1,199 and pepper sprays worth Rs 499 are complimentary. We are just saying be stylish but be safe."

Nishanthi Makam (22), a fashion designer, says hooliganism against women is a social problem that can't be completely uprooted. "It does help if you are prepared with a spray," she told MiD DAY.

Some students are actually thrilled with the freebie. Shipra Agarwal, a student, was happy she got a spray with a pair of jeans.

"Otherwise, students can't afford a pepper spray, it's so costly. I'd rather carry some spices!" She also suggests women learn self-defence techniques.

Bharati Jain, a homemaker, couldn't agree with her more on that. "You can help yourself and save someone else, too," she says.

Anand Gupta, a social activist endorses carrying pepper spray as a form of self-defence.

"A sari can be worn in a lot of different ways, but a pair of jeans can only be worn just the way it is. If you have an attractive figure, a pair of jeans definitely accentuates and enhances it. And that draws a lot of eyeballs, most of which is evil."

Rubi Chakravarti, a theatre artiste, would prefer her daughter to be careful. "Since I came to know about the pepper sprays in the market, I have got one for my daughter Alisha. They seem quite handy."

Manjul Gupta, a cosmetologist, too wants to buy her daughter one, even though she never leaves her alone anywhere. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

What is a pepper spray?
Pepper spray contains actually oleoresin capsicumin from hot peppers. This chemical is refined to a point of insane heat. This is mixed into a sprayable form and loaded into a pepper spray canister.

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