WOMEN HOCKEY players once again ‘picked up sticks’ and struck an aggressive posture here on Friday to demand justice for one of their peers.
A number of national level hockey players, along with activists of the All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA), demonstrated in Kamla Nehru Nagar in Khurram Nagar to demand social boycott of the Patel family for allegedly harassing former national hockey player Rajni for dowry.
The demonstrators got huge support from the neighbours of the Patels. They condemned the Patels for their lust for dowry. Some of the neighbours even joined the protest.
On condition of anonymity, one of the neighbours said, “The Patels were never friendly with the neighbours. They never allowed Rajni to mingle with us. So, we never came to know what was going on in their family. But, we used to hear from others that they used to subject Rajni to physical and mental torture.”
Recently, the Patels were accused of trying to kill Rajni as her parents failed to meet their dowry demands. Fearing arrest, the Patel family is absconding.
The AIDWA took the lead and accompanied by former and present hockey players the activists raised slogans against Vikas Patel and his family.
Armed with anti-dowry placards, the demonstrators went around in a procession through the streets of Kamla Nehru Nagar.
{{/usCountry}}Armed with anti-dowry placards, the demonstrators went around in a procession through the streets of Kamla Nehru Nagar.
{{/usCountry}}National level hockey players Kamla, Shalini, Dolly, Shivani and Priyanka distributed pamphlets in the colony. The pamphlet described the torture Rajni was subjected to by her in-laws. They players requested the neighbours to socially boycott the Patel family and support Rajni in her fight for justice.
With the confidence with which she hits the ball, Kamla, who has represented UP in hockey, said: “We are here to show our solidarity with our colleague. We have met all the neighbours of the Patels and they have assured their support to us. No one can harass our colleague for dowry. We will fight to ensure justice to Rajni”.State secretary of AIDWA Madhu Garg said, “Such criminals must be punished. The society should teach them a lesson for playing with the honour of a woman.”