(AIPWA Statement)
THE ruling BJP says “Beti Bachao” (Protect Daughters), but on its watch, its own supporters and the police force it controls have a free hand to repeatedly assault and molest women students in college and University campuses in India's capital city.
A pro CAA rally chanting the Sanghi war-cry of Jai Shri Ram turned into a mob that invaded the Gargi College campus and sexually assaulted women students en masse. Women who complained were told by the college principal that if they felt unsafe they should have stayed home.
The police stationed close to the college did nothing to crack down on the violent political mob. Four days have passed and the police has made no arrests.
The same Delhi Police has once again unleashed brutal and illegal violence on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia who were holding a peaceful anti CAA march. There are disturbing reports of police personnel inflicting sexual violence on women's private parts, and allegedly using some unknown and illegal gas that caused large numbers of students to lose consciousness and suffer from pain in the abdomen.
The Delhi Police is directly answerable to Home Minister Amit Shah. Why did this police force allow a pro CAA, pro BJP mob to invade a women's college and molest women? Just last month, why did the Delhi Police allow an ABVP mob to run amok inside JNU, injuring several students and faculty members, and inflicting murderous violence on a woman faculty member, women students, as well as Muslim, Dalit and transgender students? Why did the same Delhi Police, so inactive in the face of organised sexual assault and mob violence, invade the Jamia campus not long ago on the pretext of a burnt bus, fire bullets illegally, and blind a student studying inside the library? Why did the same Delhi Police watch casually as a terrorist fired bullets at Jamia students while raising pro CAA and communal slogans? Why did the same Delhi Police use an illegal gas against a peaceful protest by Jamia students, and inflict sexual violence on women students of Jamia?
The questions pile up - and the answer is inescapable. The Home Minister Amit Shah is complicit in the repeated violent attacks by Sanghi mobs as well as Delhi Police on students.
BJP leaders like Subramanian Swamy, Dilip Ghosh and Gyandev Ahuja have all repeatedly used sexualised, slut-shaming slurs (”free sex”, “3000 condoms” etc) against women students. Such statements send the message to their supporters inciting sexual violence against women students and young women. The mob sexual violence at Gargi College is a direct result of the climate of hate created by BJP leaders against women students all over India.
Women and queer persons are at the forefront of the resistance to fascism in India today. No wonder they also face the brunt of the violence by the fascists. But they shall fight, and they shall win!
