A woman vendor on the streets of Delhi.
| Photo Credit: SAJJAD HUSSAIN
As a group of women holding candles began to march through the dark streets of Delhi in the early hours of the morning on Independence Day, Dattaa Roy, a resident of Chittaranjan Park, looked weary but firm in her resolve to ‘reclaim the night’.
The march was part of several days of protest against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata last week.
Hours later when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, expressed deep concern over the rising incidents of violence against women in India, it failed to inspire confidence among many like Ms. Roy. “Yesterday it was Nirbhaya [the fearless], now Abhaya, tomorrow it will be Subhaya… but bhay (fear) continues to threaten women’s existence regardless,” she said, referring to the pseudonyms given to victims of gang rape and murder since sexual assault victims can’t be named under Indian law. She added, “It does not matter if the PM or the CM says something. I have no faith in the entire system – government, police, politicians.”
Ms. Roy is not alone in her anguish. A group of doctors from the University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital Resident Doctors Association said the PM’s remarks on the issue meant little to them.
In his speech, the Prime Minister said crimes against women should be probed swiftly and stringent punishment given to those who commit such acts. “We are of the opinion that it was a generic comment and means nothing to us. He also said that there should be strict action… he should be the one to take that action,” said a woman doctor.
Neha, a member of All India Students’ Association which was one of the organisers of the candlelight protest outside AIIMS, said, “It’s not enough that the PM mentioned the brutal incident. What about the rapists of Bilkis Bano… [BJP leader and former WFI chief] Brij Bhushan Singh [accused of sexual harassment by women wrestlers] is supported by the PM’s party [BJP]… their stance on women’s right to wear or not wear are all examples of it. If the PM has to mention women, he should address all these issues.”
Some others, however, felt the fact that the PM mentioned about ensuring women’s safety is in itself a big step in the direction. At Red Fort, NCC cadet Rheanna Ghangas, said, “Acknowledgement of rising concerns regarding women’s safety is necessary.”
Father of ‘Nirbhaya’, the physiotherapy intern who was raped and assaulted in a moving bus, said it’s been 12 years since he lost his daughter but things haven’t changed much. “We are celebrating Independence Day and the PM is speaking about crimes against women. But where is the freedom for women? There was another brutal rape in Kolkata. Such incidents are happening every day across the country. There is no freedom for the common man and women still have to live in fear.”
