Skip to main content

Delhi activists detained for protesting Madhya Pradesh move to 'track, surveil' women

By A Representative
About 40 women’s rights activists were detained soon after they reached the Madhya Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi to protest against chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan’s proposal for "tracking" and "surveilling" women, purportedly for their safety. Those detained by the Delhi Police included Maimoona Mollah, Shabnam Hashmi, Anjali Bhardwaj, Poonam Kaushik , Deepti Bharti, Ritu Kaushik, Asha Sharma, Madhuri Varshney , Seema Joshi and Amrita Johri.
Detained at the Mandir Marg police station for several hours, they had reached the Madhya Pradesh Bhawan following a call given by women’s groups, including Abhyudaya, All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch, All-India Democratic Women's Association, All India Mahila Samskritik Sanghatan, All India Progressive Women's Associatio, Akhil Bhartiya Dalit Lekhika Manch, Anhad, Indian Christian Women's Movement, Mother Teresa Foundation, Muslim Women Forum, National Federation of Indian Women, Pehchan , Pragarisheel Mahila Samiti and Saheli.
In a joint statement, the women’s organisations said, “Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reportedly said he was in favour of a system being put in place under which women who live outside their houses for work can register themselves at a local police station “and she will be tracked for her safety. We reject any such proposal.”
The statement said, objecting the thinking behind such draconian and paternalistic initiatives”, the adding, “Surveillance and tracking in the guise of ensuring safety will adversely impact women’s autonomy and freedoms. The state has witnessed horrific crimes against women in the recent past. The Chief Minister should focus on improving law and order, making local infrastructure and public spaces safe for women.”
Also asking Chauhan to ensure “effective investigation and prosecution in cases of crimes against women”, the statement said, “This surveillance proposal is just a means to divert from the governance failures in the state. We condemn this proposal to exercise control over women in the guise of their safety and call upon the chief minister to publicly rescind his comments.”

Comments

Post a Comment

TRENDING

Can free‑living Indian street dogs teach us about how to care for pet dogs?

By Daniel Ramp, Kapil Vishwas Patwardhan, Rosalie Chapple  We give our pet dogs shelter, veterinary care, affection, training and play. We decide when they eat, where they sleep, when they go outside, who they meet, and how they move through the world.
Post a Comment
»

Grain vs. gasoline: How the global biofuel boom threatens India’s food and water security

By Rajiv Shah  A new report published by the international research and advocacy organization GRAIN has warned that the global resurgence of biofuels is triggering a dangerous dynamic of “more fuel, less food, more land grabs.” Driven by intersecting energy security concerns, geopolitical tensions, and aggressive decarbonization mandates, the expanding agrofuel industry is increasingly pitting corporate energy interests against global food security and indigenous land rights. 
Post a Comment
»

Sikkim governor row: ALIFA asks centre to explain hurried appointment in Ankita Bhandari case

By A Representative   The All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) on Saturday expressed “immense pain and outrage” that even after four years and a national uproar, justice has not been fully delivered in the Ankita Bhandari murder case and that a ruling party politician facing allegations has been “gifted a high-ranking constitutional office.” In a statement, ALIFA extended “unflinching solidarity” to Ankita’s parents, who it said are “fighting for justice on the streets of Delhi,” and demanded that pending the CBI inquiry and judicial decision, the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim’s Governor be subject to “immediate presidential review.”
Post a Comment
»