An emotional interactive session between the students and film maker Sekhar Kammula made many people to think. Spreading the awareness on the awakening campaign ‘I care I react’, the director addressed scores of students at Prism Degree and PG College here on Monday.
His 40-day-old campaign aims at bringing a revolution among the youth individually without them waiting for someone else to react and protest against sexual harassment of women. “We want people to rise and express their intolerance with a simple gesture. When you wake up one fine morning and feel bad witnessing the atrocities on women just pin a badge of ‘I care and I react’. It makes you think from within. And when someone asks, you can explain about the same,” he explained. The director hopes to reach people through this chain of messages.
There was an interactive session between students and the director where he asked them what they would do if they come across any sexual assaults near their places. A few of the students answered that one cannot do anything individually due to various restrictions at home. Narrating an incident, another student Mounika said, “Recently, a six-year old girl was raped by two youngsters near our place (Vizianagaram) but when we approached the police for help, nothing much was done when we lodged a complaint. Subsequently, the complaint was dismissed and we came to know that the offenders bribed the police and walked out of the case.”
Sensitisation
Some of the boys said that sensitisation starts at home and should be self-driven. “We should relate other women as our sisters, friends and mother and respect them as they are. We will wear the badge and try to bring a revolution in an inclusive manner,” they said.
Many have shared their dark experiences in the forum and told that they do not want anyone to go through such situations. The session concluded in a touching manner where scores of students appreciated Sekhar Kammula for his wonderful initiative that induced coherent thinking, and for the efforts taken to bring a global change. The director asked the students to wear the badge on a daily basis and pass on the message in their ambit.
He had already given 60,000 badges to various students in Hyderabad.
Principal of the college Uma Bala, secretary of the school D. Satyanaraya Reddy, regional coordinator of the campaign Sai Vijay and staff members participated.
