PRESS RELEASE:PRESS RELEASE: MARCH TO PARLIAMENT AGAINST GROWING CRIMES ON WOMEN
December 1, 2004: Thousands of women from all over the country participated in a March to Parliament today under the banner of All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan (AIMSS) demanding action from the Government on the burning issue of growing crimes against women. Large contingents of women from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, Delhi, MP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu converged at Ramlila Maidan in the morning and marched in a well-decorated procession. Over the past few weeks, activists of AIMSS had been campaigning in different localities of Delhi and different States of the country and had received warm and overwhelming support from the people. The March culminated in a 2-hour-long protest meeting at Parliament Street, which was presided over by AIMSS President Ms. Chhaya Mukherji and was addressed by General Secretary H.G. Jayalakshmi as well as AIMSS leaders from different states. They spoke against the fast increasing trend of rape, molestation, kidnapping, trafficking, torture, dowry harassment and murder, and acid attacks; and the apathy of the Government regarding swift investigation, arrest and exemplary punishment of offenders. They also protested against the rapid spread of obscenity and vulgarity through films, TV serials, print media and advertisements, the proliferation of beauty contests and fashion shows, and widespread sale of liquor, with the full encouragement of the Government particularly after introduction of liberalisation and globalisation policies. "Powerful, organised and militant women's movements are required to force unwilling governments to take action against crimes on women and withdra! w their anti-women policies", said Ms. Chhaya Mukherji. The March was also specifically against the judgement of a Division Bench of the Supreme Court in 2003 allowing the arrest of women between sunset and sunrise, and arrest even in the absence of women police, overturning the Mumbai High Court judgement of 1993, which had prohibited such arrests. The speakers pointed out with numerous examples of crimes against women by men in uniform, especially the recent incidents of rape and murder in Manipur and Kashmir, that this was a very retrograde judgement which was bound to result in more atrocities against women. The meeting was also addressed by Shri Rajinder Sachar, former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, who supported the AIMSS cause and urged them to fearlessly oppose this judgement. Congratulating the marchers, he said, "Change the image of Indian womanhood from that of a silent suffering Sita to a militant one". A message of solidarity from eminent jurist, Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, was read out, in which he said, "Thi! s great assembly of womanhood before Parliament today on 1st December 2004, in great fighting spirit under a great organisation AIMSS will no doubt make clear before the ruling classes the real message of awakening women of the land". AIMSS has conducted a nationwide signature campaign against the Supreme Court judgement on arrest of women. A delegation led by General Secretary H.G. Jayalakshmi submitted the mass petition to the Chief Justice of India at the Supreme Court. Another delegation led by President Chhaya Mukherji submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, demanding stringent measures to check crime against women. The protest meeting at Jantar Mantar was addressed by AIMSS State leaders Shyla K. John (Kerala), Sadhana Choudhury (West Bengal), Binapani Das (Orissa), Chandralekha Das (Assam), Sadhana Mishra (Bihar), Lily Das (Jharkhand), Jayanti (Tamil Nadu), Aparna (Karnataka), Subodh Sharma (Delhi), Kanta Sharma (Haryana), Chandra Patra (Madhya Pradesh), Rashmi Malviya (Uttar Pradesh), Nandini Bhonde (Maharashtra), Meenu Joshi (Gujarat), Shivani Das (Tripura) and Pramila (Andhra Pradesh). The meeting concluded with a pledge to intensify the movement in the States. Issued by H.G. Jayalakshmi, General Secretary, AIMSS [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/VL0olB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Peruuta ryhm�n tilaus l�hett�m�ll� s�hk�postia osoitteeseen: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kominform2/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
