<p>Over 100 people held a candlelight vigil at Jantar Mantar on Saturday evening to show solidarity with the families of the two minor Dalit sisters who were allegedly gang raped and murdered in Katra village of Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district.<br /><br />The protesters criticised Uttar Pradesh government’s alleged inaction in the case. Actors from a theatre group sang, and there were street plays. <br /><br />Others chanted slogans.<br /><br />An organiser Shreya Ila said the decision to hold the candlelight vigil was taken to show support for those who often get marginalised. <br /><br />She demanded there should be greater accountability and justice should always be served.<br /><br />In the gathering was Kate, a 24-year-old American who is in India on a student visa. </p>.<p>She said she decided to be a part of the vigil as she found incident very disturbing. <br /><br />She found the alleged involvement of police officers in hushing up the case a bad sign and wanted to express her voice against crimes against women and the underprivileged.<br /><br />“Dalit communities face the brunt of state terrorism on a daily basis. The masses have to come together and protest against it instead of making it a one-day affair,” said a member of the theatre group.<br /><br />The two girls, aged 14 and 15, went missing from their house on the May 27 night and were found hanging from a mango tree in the next day day. <br /><br />Post-mortem reports reportedly revealed they were raped before being killed. <br /><br />Social groups condemn<br /><br /> Various social groups condemned the insensitive role of police in the incident.<br /><br />The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) condemned the role of police officers in shielding the accused. <br /><br />“There can be no hope of preventing or minimising rape if our law enforcers are apathetic to it. A message must be sent that this kind of criminality will not be tolerated, particularly against minors” a statement said.<br /><br />As per reports, when the parents of the girls approached police to file a complaint, the officials refused to do so and sent them away, asking them “not to worry”.<br /><br /> Ruchira Gupta, founder and president of NGO Apne Aap Women Worldwide, echoed similar sentiments and stressed the need to hold police accountable. <br /><br />“Even police believe that poor low caste women should be sexually available. <br /><br />There is an urgent need for police reforms and urgent need for section 166 A to challenge India’s rape culture,” she said, referring to the section in the Indian Penal Code that deals with a public official disobeying the DHNS & Agencies<br /></p>
<p>Over 100 people held a candlelight vigil at Jantar Mantar on Saturday evening to show solidarity with the families of the two minor Dalit sisters who were allegedly gang raped and murdered in Katra village of Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district.<br /><br />The protesters criticised Uttar Pradesh government’s alleged inaction in the case. Actors from a theatre group sang, and there were street plays. <br /><br />Others chanted slogans.<br /><br />An organiser Shreya Ila said the decision to hold the candlelight vigil was taken to show support for those who often get marginalised. <br /><br />She demanded there should be greater accountability and justice should always be served.<br /><br />In the gathering was Kate, a 24-year-old American who is in India on a student visa. </p>.<p>She said she decided to be a part of the vigil as she found incident very disturbing. <br /><br />She found the alleged involvement of police officers in hushing up the case a bad sign and wanted to express her voice against crimes against women and the underprivileged.<br /><br />“Dalit communities face the brunt of state terrorism on a daily basis. The masses have to come together and protest against it instead of making it a one-day affair,” said a member of the theatre group.<br /><br />The two girls, aged 14 and 15, went missing from their house on the May 27 night and were found hanging from a mango tree in the next day day. <br /><br />Post-mortem reports reportedly revealed they were raped before being killed. <br /><br />Social groups condemn<br /><br /> Various social groups condemned the insensitive role of police in the incident.<br /><br />The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) condemned the role of police officers in shielding the accused. <br /><br />“There can be no hope of preventing or minimising rape if our law enforcers are apathetic to it. A message must be sent that this kind of criminality will not be tolerated, particularly against minors” a statement said.<br /><br />As per reports, when the parents of the girls approached police to file a complaint, the officials refused to do so and sent them away, asking them “not to worry”.<br /><br /> Ruchira Gupta, founder and president of NGO Apne Aap Women Worldwide, echoed similar sentiments and stressed the need to hold police accountable. <br /><br />“Even police believe that poor low caste women should be sexually available. <br /><br />There is an urgent need for police reforms and urgent need for section 166 A to challenge India’s rape culture,” she said, referring to the section in the Indian Penal Code that deals with a public official disobeying the DHNS & Agencies<br /></p>
