Dikshit leads govt march against gang rape
A ‘peace march’ to demand justice for the 23-year-old gang rape victim, led by chief minister Sheila Dikshit along with her cabinet colleagues and members of the Delhi Commission for Women, was carried out on Wednesday.
However, BJP sought to know from whom Dikshit was demanding justice.
Hundreds of women walked some three kilometres silently from Bal Bhawan to Raj Ghat. But Dikshit ended her walk at ITO crossing, and from there DCW chairperson Barkha Singh led the march to the final destination.
“The march was dedicated to women’s solidarity and justice for the rape victim,” said Singh.
The participants included university students, medical students, elderly women and adolescent girls. They carried placards with slogans like ‘We seek honour, prestige, equality, justice, freedom, safety and security’.
A slogan in Hindi went like this: Bharat ki naari, samman ki adhikari. The participants described the death of the young physiotherapist as nothing less than sacrifice.
“The brave girl is gone, but we are making efforts that her murder does not go in vain. We want strict laws and security for women in this city,” said Anmol Chand, a participant.
BJP questions CM
Leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra criticised Dikshit for trivialising serious issues confronting citizens of the capital by taking out a “farcical peace march”.
In a statement, Malhotra said Dikshit is indulging in dramatics instead of coming out with solutions. “I fail to understand the reason behind the chief minister’s antics and want to know against whom this march was organised.
Was it against the Prime Minister, the home minister, Sonia Gandhi or her own government?” Malhotra told Deccan Herald.
Medal to gang rape victim
City BJP unit president Vijender Gupta has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to recommend to the President to award the Ashok Chakra to the gang rape victim posthumously on Republic Day.
“The Ashok Chakra is the highest civilian award for which the victim is entitled. Members of her family should be presented the award on January 26 so that the name of the brave girl may be recorded in the country’s history,” said Gupta on Wednesday.
