Social media feeds protests fire

Even as thousands of youngsters across the country have united in protest against the brutal Delhi gangrape, social networking sites have proved to be a mobilising factor for the nationwide outrage.

Even as thousands of youngsters across the country have united in protest against the brutal Delhi gangrape, social networking sites have proved to be a mobilising factor for the nationwide outrage.

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Through events, community pages and messages on websites like Facebook and Twitter, the word has been spread about protests in the city and thousands have come to the streets to demand stricter laws for crimes against women.

On December 31, an event organised in Dadar to reclaim safety for women and decry the gang rape was publicised primarily on Twitter.

After the December 16 incident, Navi Mumbai youth Soumil Shetty created a Facebook page ‘Know the India we are,’ where he urges people to take to their video cameras, raise questions, voice their anger and then upload the video for the world to watch.

He believes that the common man should question everyone, from policemen to politicians. Many social media users have contributed to or visited the page.

“It is time we know what the reality is. We are all living in our own comfortable cocoons,” he said.

“Punishing rapists is not enough. We must know why such crimes are happening. Change begins when we become alert.”