Report by Mazdoor Ekta Committee correspondent
Women’s organisations of the Delhi-NCR region organised a protest on 18 May, at Jantar Mantar, to express their rage at the growing sexual attacks and crimes against women and girl children. People from different parts of Delhi-NCR, including students, working women and men, political activists and trade union activists participated in large numbers.
The protest was jointly organised by All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan (AIMSS), All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA), Centre for Struggling Women (CSW), Jimmedari Social Welfare Organisation (J-SWO), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan and Purogami Mahila Sangathan. Activists of CITU, AIUTUC, ANHAD and other organisations also participated.
A huge banner which formed the backdrop of the demonstration boldly declared – ‘Rise in Rage against Growing Sexual Crimes and Violence on Women and Girl Children’.
The participants carried placards and banners with slogans – “Down with the growing sexual crimes against women and girl children!”, “End this culture of rape and violence against women!”, “The authorities must answer!”, “Ensure strict punishment for the guilty!”, and so on. They militantly raised slogans demanding that the Central government, the Delhi government and the governments across the country answer for their failure to ensure the security of women and girls, whether in schools and colleges, in public transport or at the workplace.
Representatives of the participating organisations addressed the protestors. They drew attention to recent cases such as the rape of a girl child in a school in Delhi and the gang-rape of a working woman in a sleeper bus at night, to point out how measures to ensure safety of girls and women are completely lacking. The apathy of the police in refusing to register an FIR, blaming the victim herself for the crime committed on her – these have become the norm. The rules and guidelines that we citizens have fought to establish after the Nirbhaya case of 2012 are blatantly ignored. They demanded sensitive response to the victims by the authorities, and stern action against not just the perpetrators of the crimes but also against officials who delay the process or intimidate the victims.
In a joint press release, the participating organisations demanded accountability from the Delhi government, police and judiciary; child safety measures to be audited by the government, in all schools; infrastructural facilities such as proper street lighting and creche/day care facilities; free and safe round-the-clock bus service for women; women’s safety committees in all workplaces as per the POSH Act; and respectable wages and employment guarantee for all working women.