People's Democracy

GUWAHATI OUTRAGE

AIDWA Demands Apology from CM

ON July 17, the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) strongly condemned the continuing human rights violations being inflicted on the young girl who was publicly molested in Guwahati on July 9, 2012, with the latest shocking revelation of her name and photograph by the media cell of no less than the Assam chief minister himself.

Demanding a public apology from the chief minister for this outrageous exposure, the AIDWA also termed as reprehensible the fact that the name of the victim was revealed by a member of the NCW delegation as well, during a media briefing. The organisation said it is essential that the girl be given adequate security and provided whatever support and assistance she requires, and demanded a full-fledged enquiry into the role of the media, besides immediate arrest of and stringent action against all the accused, in a time bound manner.

ANTI-WOMEN VIOLENCE

GROWING WITH IMPUNITY

Earlier, through a statement issued from New Delhi, July 13, the AIDWA had expressed its concern and outrage over two particularly worrying events of the recent period, which illustrate the growing violence against women and young girls and also the increasing violation of the rights of women.

At Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, village elders have issued a collective edict banning the use of mobile phones by young women, forbidding them from taking a walk after the sunset, and forcing them to cover their heads. The elders have also announced that no one daring to enter a self-choice marriage would be allowed to live in the village. Once again, women’s rights and freedoms are sought to be curbed and controlled in the name of upholding the tradition and honour.

In this case, the AIDWA has welcomed the intervention by the local police that went to the village and attempted to arrest those responsible. It also condemned the brutal attacks to which the police were subjected and urged upon all democratically minded people and organisations to continue their struggle for gender justice and equality. The AIDWA said it was only because of the outrage expressed by these sections that the police and administration perforce intervened in the matter, and that sustained opposition is necessary to ensure that such episodes are not repeated.

As for the brutality and shamelessness of the attack of a crowd of young men against a young woman in Guwahati on Monday, July 9, the AIDWA said it was one more example of not only the confidence with which such attacks are made but also the failure of bystanders to intervene in such incidents even when they are present in large numbers. While it may be that there is a lack of confidence in the administration and the law enforcement agencies, which is responsible for this, the AIDWA said their lapses could not be condoned. The organisation has therefore demanded that the government of Assam immediately intervene in the matter. Not only should all those involved in the assault be immediately arrested and given the most stringent punishment, steps must also be taken to see that the safety of young women is ensured in public places. 

On July 10, an AIDWA delegation, led by its general secretary, Sudha Sundararaman, visited the young girl and her family in Guwahati and also met with the officials concerned.