A number of women, rights and minority organisations on Sunday evening staged a candle light protest at the Ambedkar statue against the Kathua and the Unnao incidents.
The organisations that protested included Mahila Chetana, Human Rights Forum, Muslim Minority Association, Chaitanya Mahila Sangham, APCLC, Rellikula Samkshema Sangham, Virasam, Atheist Society and Green Climate. Teachers and lawyers also took part in the protest.
The associations said after stringent action in the rape and killing of an eight-year-old nomadic girl at Kathua, following the intervention of the Supreme Court and the resignation of BJP Ministers, BJP was trying to scuttle the probe by seeking a CBI inquiry.
In the Unnao rape case, only after the death of the father of the woman and her immolation attempt, the BJP MLA involved and other accused were arrested.
Condemning the rise of Hindutva forces and the ‘atrocities’ committed by them, the organisations expressed their solidarity with the families of the victims.
In a statement, Jammat-e-Islam Hind expressed concern over lack of protection for women in spite of many laws. It also expressed concern over rallies in support of those allegedly involved in the Kathua incident and said it was dangerous in democracy. More painful was women Ministers in the Cabinet not condemning it.
Students’ rally
Students belonging to AISF took out a rally from Maddilapalem to the Gandhi statue near GVMC. Registrar V. Uma Maheswara Rao participated in it.
