Women should never suffer silently...

AS SOON as she reached the city, she went to the spot where Meher Bhargava was shot at. ?Meher is my friend. I visited her in the hospital in Delhi, where she is fighting for her life. Even after knowing who committed the crime, there has been no breakthrough. There are witnesses but no one is ready to speak. I feel that the law needs to be amended and something needs to be done about it,? says Nafisa Ali, Chairperson Children?s Film Society of India, former Miss India, national swimming champ, social worker and (occasional) film star.

AS SOON as she reached the city, she went to the spot where Meher Bhargava was shot at.

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“Meher is my friend. I visited her in the hospital in Delhi, where she is fighting for her life. Even after knowing who committed the crime, there has been no breakthrough. There are witnesses but no one is ready to speak. I feel that the law needs to be amended and something needs to be done about it,” says Nafisa Ali, Chairperson Children’s Film Society of India, former Miss India, national swimming champ, social worker and (occasional) film star.

Jessica Lal and Meher Bhargava, two innocent women have met similar fates. “I am proud of the way that the media has taken up the Jessica Lal case. Now I feel that it is important to protect the witnesses and assure them that the law will protect them. What is also important is that the statements of the witness are recorded. We just can’t let the criminals wander freely and commit more crimes,” says Ali.

She further adds, “However, to make society violence-free, it is important to make the family violence-free first. In some ways children, while growing up, learn a lot from what is happening in their family.” Nafisa Ali was in the city, on Tuesday to attend a Women’s Day programme.

Talking about ‘women empowerment’ on the eve of International Women’s Day, she says, “The first step towards women’s empowerment is to make them aware. Women should not remain silent. It is important for women to raise their voice against discrimination, inequality and violence. But they should remember one thing—never be violent.” Concerned about the rising rate of female foeticide Nafisa says, “It is a social evil. Every woman, every girl has the right to live. She has a right to life and nobody should take away that right. I feel it is a direct product of dowry system. To eradicate crime against women it is important to empower the Panchayati Raj, create awareness about these issues and reach the grassroots.”

When a man shot a question to her about women’s reservation in Parliament she said, “If we have 33% reservation in political parties then automatically we’ll have 33% reservation in Parliament. So first it is important to have reservation in the parties.” In the end she had a message for women. She said, “I want every woman to promise something to herself today. Every woman should plant a fruit plant on International Woman’s Day. It will be a progressive change. It will continue to live and give fruit and shade long after all of us are dead.”