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Women join hands for Gujarat

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI MAY 13. Demanding President's rule in Gujarat and an immediate ban on the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, women activists in the Capital, today expressed their solidarity with Gujarat women victims by staging dharnas, demonstrations and courting arrest at Parliament Street.

Addressing a public meeting that began this day of protest at Jantar Mantar, Brinda Karat of the All India Democratic Women's Association, said: "There is no rule of law in Gujarat and there is no single institution that remains unscathed. There are so many cases of rape and deaths, but only three FIRs have been filed.''

"The three FIRs that have been filed name the accused but no arrests have taken places so far, this shows that there is no law in Gujarat,'' said Ms Karat. "We want FIRs to be filed in the cases of rape and the guilty to be arrested. Special courts should be constituted and procedures with a time-bound mandate should be carried out in cases of violence against women and children. Special rehabilitation measures should be provided for families headed by women and orphans,'' she stated.

Emphasising the strength in unity, Mohini Giri of Guild of Service said: "Today women of Gujarat need to know that women all over the country irrespective of caste and religion are with them in their darkest hour.''

In keeping with this sentiment in mind, similar protests were held by women activists in Mumbai, Lucknow, Mumbai, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Patna, Guwahati and four districts in Gujarat, a release issued by women's group claimed.

A resolution was passed later in the day which will be distributed in every district and every State of India and will be handed over to the Prime Minister tomorrow. Calling for secularism, democracy and communal harmony the memorandum states: "We the women of India, from all villages, talukas, districts, towns and cities declare that we stand together and speak with one voice. We declare that we will not allow our country to be destroyed by peddlers of hate, no matter to which community, religion, caste or creed they belong.''

"We hope this message from every corner of the country will convey to the government that women and like-minded men want to be known as Indians and we don't want to be compartmentalised into religion, caste and creed,'' said Ms Giri.

Some of the women's organisations that took part were Muslim Women's Forum, Jagrori, Saheli and Nirantar.

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