▁women ▁in ▁the ▁bro th els ▁of ▁Cal cut ta ▁double d . ▁Inc idents ▁of ▁sexual ▁ab use ▁or ▁kid n app ings ▁of ▁local ▁women ▁by ▁American ▁soldiers ▁were ▁taking ▁place . ▁In ▁reaction ▁to ▁these ▁develop ments , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁commun ist ▁women ▁organ ised ▁MAR S . ▁MAR S ▁had ▁its ▁origin ▁in ▁the ▁Congress ▁Mah ila ▁Sang ha , ▁formed ▁in ▁Cal cut ta ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁with ▁the ▁objective ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁defense ▁against ▁a ▁Japanese ▁occupation ▁of ▁Beng al . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁the ▁group ▁had ▁been ▁joined ▁by ▁commun ist ▁women , ▁some ▁recently ▁released ▁from ▁prison . ▁ ▁Le ad ership ▁R ani ▁Mit ra ▁Das gu pta , ▁Man ik unt ala ▁Sen ▁and ▁R enu ▁Ch ak rav art ty ▁were ▁key ▁leaders ▁of ▁MAR S . ▁But ▁the ▁organisation ▁also ▁gathered ▁prominent ▁non - comm un ist , ▁liberal ▁women ▁like ▁R ani ▁Mah al an ob is ▁( w ife ▁of ▁Pr as anta ▁Ch andra ▁Mah al an ob is ) ▁and ▁Le ela ▁Maz um dar . ▁Mah al an ob is ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁MAR S . ▁ ▁Early ▁strugg les ▁MAR S ▁supported ▁the ▁struggle ▁for ▁Indian ▁independence , ▁instruct ed ▁women ▁in ▁self - def ense , ▁war ned ▁against ▁fasc ism , ▁demanded ▁release ▁of ▁political ▁prisoners ▁and ▁sought ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁population ▁from ▁star v ation . ▁The ▁organisation ▁mobil ised ▁relief ▁activities ▁for