A day after several women activists and lawyers were detained for protesting outside the Supreme Court against the clean chit given to Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in a sexual harassment case, the Delhi police on Wednesday detained 17 women activists for assembling near the Rajiv Chowk metro station to stage a demonstration.
Carrying posters and banners that read “Supreme Court kuch to sharam karo” (have some shame, SC), those present near the Gate number 7 of the metro station said the clean chit given to the CJI was a case of “Supreme Injustice”.
“We stand in solidarity with the complainant and vehemently reject the conclusion [of the in-house committee of the apex court] as it has been arrived at without a fair and independent enquiry. The procedure followed in this case not only stands in utter violation of the principles of natural justice, but also in contravention with [existing norms],” read a statement issued by the activists.
Rule of law
Vani Subramanian of Saheli Women’s Resource Centre said, “Our only demand is that the rule of law should be established and the rule of law must prevail. All we are asking is that the SC should follow the law as well... the judicial system should be independent.”
“We are being chased across the city [by the police] but what have we done? We are not disrupting anything and all that we have with us is a piece of paper. We simply want to speak to the common people here,” she added, referring to the police force trying to disperse the protesters.
However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma said, “They were asked to protest at Jantar Mantar but they continued to protest at Connaught Place. Seventeen women were detained and were released later.”
