In a moment reminiscent of the aftermath of the Nirbhaya case of 2012, several protests broke out across the country to protest against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, including one at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, on Friday, 13 April.
Several civil society members, women and child rights organisations and political parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress came together to raise their voice against crimes against women and the silence of the government that followed.
With loud slogans of ‘Nahin chalegi, taanashahi nahin chalegi’ and ‘Beti bachao, balatkari nahin,’ the message was loud and clear – the government in power must do everything to punish the accused and ensure such horrid incidents cease to happen in India.
What religion does an eight-year-old have? I’m here today because I’m afraid for my daughter. I’m here, she’s at home, and I’m still constantly worried what if something happens to her when she leaves the house. This simply can’t go on any longer.A protestor, in tears, speaking about the Kathua case
What are the Cases About?
The charge-sheet filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Crime Branch police in the Kathua rape case, that took place in January this year, revealed that an 8-year-old girl was held captive in a temple, sedated, raped repeatedly, bludgeoned to death, and discarded in a forest by three men.
Lawyers in Jammu and Hindu Ekta Manch members are rallying behind the accused, with two BJP MLAs having been seen waving the tricolour as they marched in defence of the accused.
In Unnao, an 18-year-old girl alleged that she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in June 2017. She went to court and the hearing on the matter was on.
On 3 April this year, her father was taken into custody under the Arms Act, after allegedly being beaten up by Sengar’s brother and his men. On 8 April, the victim tried to immolate herself outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s house for shielding the minister. Her father died in police custody on 9 April, vomiting and complaining of abdominal pain.
While in the Unnao case, the CBI has initiated a probe, in the Kathua case, those defending the accused are demanding a CBI probe, alleging bias in the J&K Police’s investigation.
Other civil society marches being organised in the city are scheduled to be held on Friday, 13 April, at 7 pm at the Gateway of India (a candlelight vigil), 14 April at 5 pm near the Nehru Planetarium in Worli, and on 17 April at Chaitya Bhoomi in Dadar.
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