After a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped at the Aastha Kunj park earlier this week, Delhi University (DU) students took to the streets on Wednesday, holding posters and raising their voices over women’s safety and demanding action. The protest began near Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College for Women, located close to the site of the incident, and drew students from several other colleges, including Miranda House and Gargi College.
“You know what is the saddest part about all of this? We were protesting for our safety, something that is our fundamental right, yet we are having to do it with our masks on, as if we are the culprits. Why? Because if we speak up against the system, the administration or the university for not doing enough to protect us, there can be repercussions later for raising our voices. We could face issues with assessments, attendance or semester exams. We can be pulled up and asked to explain why we are protesting, which makes the whole situation even more ironic,” says Meenakshi Shankar, a second-year DU student.
“For an incident like this to happen in such close proximity to one of India’s best colleges sends chills down one’s spine. When you are going to college at such a prestigious university, do you really want to be thinking, ‘Will I return home safe today?’ When you stay back after classes to prepare for an exam, do you want to think, ‘Oh, it’s getting dark. I pray I get home safe and without being harassed’? This protest is about being heard and not just being a gimmick. We want to know what definite measures are being planned to protect us. And if we cannot be given that assurance, and things continue as they are, we will be back on the roads,” says a first-year college student on the condition of anonymity.
{{/usCountry}}“For an incident like this to happen in such close proximity to one of India’s best colleges sends chills down one’s spine. When you are going to college at such a prestigious university, do you really want to be thinking, ‘Will I return home safe today?’ When you stay back after classes to prepare for an exam, do you want to think, ‘Oh, it’s getting dark. I pray I get home safe and without being harassed’? This protest is about being heard and not just being a gimmick. We want to know what definite measures are being planned to protect us. And if we cannot be given that assurance, and things continue as they are, we will be back on the roads,” says a first-year college student on the condition of anonymity.
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