People's Democracy

GHASTLY RAPE CASE IN DELHI

Arrest of Erring Police Officials Demanded

ON April 20, several organisations of women organised a protest action against the brutal rape of a five years old girl in the national capital --- in East Delhi on April 15. The Delhi state committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) also joined the protest, with its activists coming from JNU, DU, Jamia Millia and Ambedkar University in large numbers.

Incensed by this brutal act that took place just a few months after the Delhi gang rape incident of December 16, 2012, the protesting organisations said it once again showed the insensitivity and apathy of Delhi Police which tried to hush up the case by offering money to the father of the victim instead of lodging an FIR.

The agitated protestors gathered outside the police headquarters at ITO to demand strict and quick action against the accused, and raised angry slogans outside the HQ for more than an hour.

From the ITO, the protesting students moved on to demonstrate outside the residence of Sushil Kumar Shinde, the union home minister. They demanded that the home minister must own the responsibility for the deteriorating law and order situation in the national capital, as Delhi Police is directly under him, and take immediate steps to better it. In light of this incident, they said, there is an urgent need to implement the Justice Verma committee’s recommendations in full, as the UPA government’s ordinance against sexual violence has yielded nothing. The SFI said it would continue fighting for these demands in the coming days.

CITU HOLDS GOVT  

RESPONSIBLE

On the same day, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions expressed its sense of shock over the horrific rape of this small girl who is the  daughter of a daily waged casual labourer. The CITU statement on the day deplored the inaction of the police when the father went to report that his daughter was missing. This once again highlights the total indifference and hostility displayed by the police force to any complaints from the poorer sections of society. Timely action by the police to find the child could have prevented the ghastly incident, the CITU noted. Adding insult to injury, the father of the rape survivor was offered a bribe of Rs 2000 by the police to keep quiet over the matter.

The CITU also expressed outrage over the behaviour of an ACP who slapped a young woman protester at the hospital where the child was admitted. The CITU condemned the criminal dereliction of duty and blatant violation of laws by the supposed enforcers of law and order, and demanded that any policemen or officers guilty of these must be dismissed from service immediately, arrested and tried.

The CITU said that for effective deterrence the culprits in all cases of violence against women must be arrested and given quick and severe punishment. Fast track courts must be set up all over the country to ensure speedy punishment to the guilty.

The organisation also reiterated its long standing demand that the government must provide crèche and day-care facilities, especially in working class areas, in order to provide security and care for the children of workers who are at work.

In Delhi, which has become the crime capital of the country, the security provided to the VIPs must be sharply curtailed in order to free police personnel for duties concerning the common residents.  

Holding the government responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, the CITU urged upon the working class to be in the forefront of struggles to stop the violence against women and children.

ROHTAK DC POLICE

RUNS AWAY FROM DUTY

ON April  , several women, youth and children belonging to the Janwadi Mahila Samiti, Democratic Youth Federation of India and Gandhi School held a protest rally in Rohtak, against the barbaric rape incident in Delhi and several incidents of anti-women violence in various parts of Haryana. After having assembled in Mansarovar Park, activists of these organisations took out a procession demanding security of women and girls, and stern action against the culprits.

Addressing the protestors, AIDWA national vice president Dr Jagmati Sangwan appealed to all sections of society to come forward and raise their voice against all forms of violence against women and their degradation, and demand a better environment at workplaces, public places or in homes. She also stressed the need to fix up accountability of law enforcing agencies and strict action for dereliction of duty.

AIDWA state secretary Savita demanded immediate arrest of police officials who attempted to suppress the heinous episode so as to save the culprit and of the officer who slapped a girl protestor at New Delhi on April 19. The processionists strongly resented the absence of the deputy commissioner despite the chief minister’s recent announcement about ensured presence of district officials for attending the public grievances also on holidays.

A memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister was handed over to the tehsildar.