A group of students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Saturday staged a protest against the killings in Handwara, Kashmir and demanded the arrest of those responsible for it.
Carrying placards that read “Kashmiri lives matter” and “Down with AFSPA, end state-sponsored violence”, the protest was held amid minor disruptions by right-wing groups at Jantar Mantar.
Some people shouted slogans such as Bharat Mata ki jai and Vande Matram to annoy the protesters.
However, no confrontation erupted as policemen deployed on the spot controlled the situation.
Members of the Left-backed All India Student's Union (AISA) and All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) were present.
“The Handwara episode is also a lesson in how the laws are openly violated with impunity in sexual assault cases in Kashmir. In a shocking violation of the law, a video of the minor girl complainant was uploaded and circulated on media and social media, exposing her identity,” said Kavita Krishnan, secretary, AIPWA.
The protesters condemned the fact that the victim had to go through the torture and her family was allegedly held hostage by the local police.
‘Mother denied access’“Even the girl’s mother has been denied access to her. This is clearly an attempt to pressure and terrorise the girl and her family into giving up allegations against Army men,” another protester said.
Among those, who were a part of the protest were students from Kashmir who spoke about the constant “oppression” they face at the hands of security forces in the valley.
“It is not just oppression of Kashmir. The state is at war with other States of India as well. There is no place for people like Rohith Vemula, Irom Sharmila and Soni Sori in this country. Here, the idea of India is only limited to their Bharat Mata, which is women like Maya Kodnani and Smriti Irani,” said JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid Shora.
Criticising the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) she said: “It is the innocent civilians that are getting killed in the name of AFSPA and then they tell us that people are throwing stones. But who forces them to do this. It can only happen in Kashmir that the victim in a sexual assault case is being terrorised.”
