NEW DELHI: Women-led organisations in Delhi held a protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, demanding justice for the Unnao rape survivor and immediate suspension of the bail granted to accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Several women’s and progressive organisations participated in the demonstration, which also saw the presence of the survivor herself.
The protest was organised in response to the Delhi HC’s recent decision to grant bail to BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a convicted rapist and murderer in the Unnao case. Sengar was convicted under the POCSO Act by a trial court and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019. He was also later found guilty in the custodial death of the survivor’s father. However, on Tuesday, the HC suspended his life sentence and granted him bail.
Organisations that joined the protest included the Centre for Struggling Women (CSW), Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan (PMS) and the All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan (AIMSS). The protesters demanded that the bail granted to Sengar be revoked without delay and that his life sentence be reinstated immediately.
Speaking to the newspaper, Dr Maya John, Convener of CSW, said, “This demonstration is not led by any one particular organisation; it is a collaborative call from women across the city.” “We were not expecting the survivor to join, but she did, thereby displaying an immense amount of strength,” she added.
The demonstration also witnessed participation from students. JNUSU President Aditi and Joint Secretary Danish, along with students from Jawaharlal Nehru University, joined the protest and questioned what had happened to the slogan “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.”
They asserted that the government has failed to ensure even a single safe space for women. Student leaders further pointed out that the Unnao rape survivor has been protesting since the bail order but was detained at India Gate and outside Sansad Bhawan. “The same treatment was meted out to Olympic gold medallist Sakshi Malik when she protested against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh,” they said.
Neetu, one of the protesters, said, “Such judgments are a matter of shame for us.” She added, “We are protesting to create pressure on lawmakers so that they rethink the judgment.” “The hearing in this case is scheduled for December 29, and we are hopeful about it,” she said.