People's Democracy

HORRIBLE dimension to the communal state-sponsored carnage in Gujarat has been the targeting of women and children by the VHP-Bajrang Dal mobs. Several fact-finding teams have documented the numerous cases of sexual assault, gang rapes and sexual harassment against Muslim women. Although it is true that women do become the most vulnerable targets in most cases of communal violence, the extent and savagery of the violence against women and children in Gujarat is without precedent. Yet in the entire state only three FIRs on cases of rape have been registered, and not a single one in Ahmedabad where there have been many cases. Moreover, in the three cases registered, one of them two months ago, not a single man named has been arrested.

The Gujarat High Court itself appears to have been badly hit by the communal virus. It has not entertained a single petition from inmates of relief camps, not even the one by students and parents, that was ultimately heard by the Supreme Court which mandated that there be supplementary exams held for Muslim students unable to give their exams. The only petition it admitted was the one filed by an outfit called the Karuna Educational Society which challenged the jurisdiction of the NHRC to comment on the role of the state government. Fortunately the Supreme Court stayed the hearing of that petition.

As far as rehabilitation is concerned, although the general situation is shocking with only 10 per cent of compensation claims partially paid, and 50 per cent not even surveyed according to an official release by the state government, the situation for widows is even worse. They are being asked to prove that their husbands have been killed, so as to claim compensation. But, as in most cases bodies were burnt to ashes, how could the traumatised survivors provide the necessary proof?

It is in such a situation, to help build a national recognition of the specific dimension of how women are suffering due to the constitutional breakdown and the subversion of every institution in the state by the fascistic communal forces, that national women’s organisations held a national protest day on May 13.

In an action coordinated by the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), women in 16 states observed the day against the refusal of the central government to intervene in Gujarat, and in solidarity with the women and children victims of Gujarat. Significantly, the day was observed in several centres in Gujarat also. About 70 organisations and groups of women were involved in this programme.

The three demands highlighted in this nationwide action were: to file FIRs in cases of sexual assault against women and to arrest those named by the victims or the survivors, to constitute special courts with a time bound mandate with special procedures used by International Court of Justice in similar cases of mass killings and rape as has happened in Gujarat; Special rehabilitation measures for all families rendered female headed because of the killings of male members.

The prime minister had agreed to meet women’s organisations in Delhi but cancelled the appointment at the last minute after his office had ascertained the details of the memorandum to be submitted. Clearly, since the women’s organisations have very specific demands with facts and figures as to how women in Gujarat have been targeted, the prime minister would have found it difficult to answer the delegation. He therefore, avoided meeting them

In the capital, hundreds of women holding placards and banners broke through two police barricades at Parliament Street on the day and courted arrest. Addressing the women were Brinda Karat, Syeda Hameed, Mohini Giri, Mary Khemchand, Sahiba Farooqui, Husna Subhani and Ashalata. The meeting started with Anuj from Sama reading out in homage a poem of the late revolutionary poet Kaifi Azmi called 'Doosra Banwaas' — a poem which depicted Ram’s sorrow at what is being done in his name in Ayodhya and how he then left Ayodhya in disgust. This set the theme for the meeting with speakers stressing that what is happening in Gujarat has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with power and the political slogan of Hindu Rashtra. Supporting the demands they said the Gujarat government has actually seceded from the constitution of India. There was no rule of law, there was no institution which had not been subverted and women were the worst sufferers. National recognition of and national endeavour to meet this unprecedented savagery against women and children are required. The united action on the day was part of that struggle.

In Delhi the organisations included AIDWA, NFIW, JWP, YWCA, Guild of Service, Muslim Women’s Forum, Women’s Unit- Indian SI, CBCI-women’s unit, Jagori, Saheli, Nirantar and Sama.

In Gujarat, several women's organisations condemned the attacks on women and submitted their demands to the governor through district collectors in different districts. They also held Dharnas near collectorate offices before submitting the memorandum for their demands. In Bhavnagar, over 200 women sat on a day long dharna. Women from both communities were present, expressing solidarity.

In Baroda, eight organisations held a dharna on the day. Similarly at Rajkot, the AIDWA's Rajkot district committee, submitted the memorandum. Hundreds of women staged a dharna at the collectorate office. Many women from Upeleta also participated in the Rajkot dharna.

There was a widely-attended day-long dharna at Hutatma Chowk in Mumbai, which hundreds of women joined. An exhibition put up by the SAHMAT at the venue also attracted crowds. Along with the national women’s organisations, 19 state-level groups like the Awaaz-e-Niswan, Women’s Forum against Oppression, Forum for Women’s Health and others joined. A notable feature at the Mumbai dharna was the particpation of several well known professionals, lawyers, doctors, teachers and, writers in solidarity.

In Kerala, the day was observed in 13 districts. In Trivandrum, five organsations joined the day-long dharna.

At Lucknow, the observance coincided with the opening of the state assembly. A big demonstration and dharna by several women’s groups marked the day.

In Madhya Pradesh, women in six centres - Bhopal, Moreina, Bhind, Gwalior, Guna and Jabalpur - took out processions and held dharnas.

Other centres where women participated included Patna in Bihar, Rohtak, Hissar and other centres in Haryana, Guwahati in Assam, Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, Jaipur in Rajasthan, and Chennai in Tamilnadu where several organisations came together to observe the day.

Women’s organisations are also, separately and jointly, organising relief work as well as legal aid on behalf of the victims to file for damages. Appeals to international bodies such as the UN Committee against Violence on Women are also being jointly filed.