The protesters led by Annie Raja, General Secretary NFIW were detained by the police and taken to the Parliament Street police station and the DCP received the memorandum, addressed to Sanjay Arora, Commissioner of Police. Later they joined the wrestlers who were sitting on a day and night dharna at Jantar Mantar. Text of the memorandum:
***
The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) hereby registers its strong protest at the failure of Delhi Police to register an FIR on the complaints filed by the women wrestlers against Mr. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, WFI President and MP.Filing of FIR is the primary legal step of the justice process on complainants of sexual harassment. The POSH Act clearly states that the police is required to file an FIR and then investigate the crime, and not the other way round.
National Women wrestlers have accused the WFI president of criminal intimidation and sexual harassment.
The complainants are those young women who won national and international laurels for the country. With their sweat, on many occasions, our National Flag was proudly hoisted, as the winning country, standing tall over others. The entire Nation celebrates the victories of these young enthusiastic women who have brought glory to the country, as theirs.
The complainant also includes a minor, yet the police have failed to alert the NCPCR or file an FIR!! The charges are serious and require immediate actions from the police for justice to be delivered. It is not only shocking but shameful too to see the delay and reluctance of the Delhi police to file FIR and the criminal violation of POSH Act by them.
Our Constitution and legal system ensure that even verbal abuse is penalized and justice be delivered to the aggrieved. The primary job of the police is to safeguard the rights of the survivors of sexual harassment and violence. The Delhi police have been repeatedly found guilty of not filing FIRs but harassing the complainants. It is clear patriarchy, money and muzzle power that play a major role in this.
When internationally popular young women wrestlers have to stage day and night dharna for justice, how can the other women of Delhi trust and expect justice from the police.
Therefore, NFIW demands
Immediate filing of FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh based on the complaints given by the sportspersons. These are cases of sexual harassment at workplace and POCSO.
Ensure time bound legal process to ensure justice to the complainant as early as possible.
Action against all those police personnel who failed to file FIR, timely, on the complaint.
Immediate steps for Gender sensitization and awareness programme for Delhi Police on woman and child centric Laws. It is critical for safeguarding the dignity, safety and security of women in Delhi.
Comments