Hyderabadis are making better use of weekends. Out in the streets, protesting against the Delhi rape incident on Sunday were about 2,000 school and college students, software professionals, professors, NGOs and a few noted celebrities from the tinsel town.
Actor couple Rajashekar and Jeevita, along with their two daughters led the “Save Women, Save India”, a rally at the Necklace road, demanding justice for the 23-year-old rape victim, who is still battling for her life in Delhi. This gang-rape incident in particular, apart from security for women, has raised many issues regarding punishment for such heinous crimes and the need for a change in the law. The protest from Prasad's Imax to People’s Plaza sent out one message loud and clear -- hang the culprits.
Tamma Reddy Bharadwaj, Paruchuri Gopal Krishna, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, founder of Telangana Jagruti, TV actor Sattanna were a few prominent Hyderabadis at the protest.
“What does Mr. Shinde mean by the phrase ‘rarest of rare rapes’? Now they have to be categorised for people to be punished? If women are not protected in the capital city, I wonder why leaders even care about women,” said Jeevita. She wondered, “Why is the government taking so much time to punish those six culprits? I believe capital punishment is the only way to teach them and the others a lesson. Why not kill them? When they can rape the girl and torture her to such an extent that her intestines popped out, can they even be counted as normal?” Her husband Rajashekar added, “I am very much disturbed by the incident and security of women is the need of the hour.”
Rama Melkote, retired professor of political science from Osmania University said she was happy with the way people have responded. “It is nice to see so many people here protesting for a genuine cause. I wonder why no leaders have addressed the youngsters who are protesting in Delhi? They should have acted on the issue by now,” she felt. Agreeing with her was K Sajaya, joint secretary of Anveshi Research Centre for Women's Studies. She said, “This is a start, and I am happy that people are speaking up.” One very interesting part of the rally was the presence of 60 members from Deaf Enabled Foundation, an organisation for senisitising people on the same cause. The CEO TKM Sandeep, who is also hearing impaired with the help of an interpreter, stressed the need for awareness among deaf and dumb women.
The rally marched into the Hyderabad Book Fair and addressed people there. The crowd burnt an effigy of the rapist and held a candle-light march back to Prasad's.