Minister gives wooden bats to 700 brides in India to clobber drunk husbands

A state minister in India gave foot-long wooden bats that say "For beating drunkards" as gifts to nearly 700 brides during a mass wedding on Saturday. The bats, which are normally used to help clean dirty laundry, now have a dual purpose.

When Gopal Bhargava handed out the gifts, he told the brides that they should first try to talk to their drunk husbands, but if reasoning doesn't work, let the wooden paddles do the talking. According to The Guardian:

Bhargava said he wanted to draw attention to the plight of rural women who face domestic abuse from their alcoholic husbands.

Women say whenever their husbands get drunk they become violent. Their savings are taken away and splurged on liquor, he said.

And this is just the beginning. The minister has ordered 10,000 bats to give to future brides.

Image: Prakhar Amba