NEW DELHI: “My daughter’s name was Jyoti Singh” cried in raw pain the mother of the victim of December 16 gruesome gang rape in the cold winter night three years ago.
Living in uncertainty of justice to their daughter the parents pleaded the people to protest for justice to the brave heart -Nirbhaya.
"On her third anniversary, the culprit is being set free. Where is the justice in that? Does her sacrifice deserve this, justice has been denied "said the unfortunate mother Asha Devi with raw pain, of the 23 year old medical student gang-raped and tortured on a moving bus in Delhi.
The visibly heartbroken mother addressing public gathering remembering her daughter as ‘Nirbhaya Chetna Divas' at Jantar Mantar said "I don't know whether he is 16 or 18. I only know that when the crime is so brutal, there should be no age limit for punishment. The case is stuck in the Supreme Court for the last one year the system has failed on us"
Further urging the bereaved father Badrinath said “For us he is the killer of our daughter who is being set free despite his heinous crime. We demand that he should not be released, show us his face. We have failed in getting her justice, we have tried but to no avail, maybe they will listen to you (the crowd)".
The two hour long remembrance Day was attended by many social activist and political dignitaries along with the parents. Which includes Delhi Congress member Sharmistha Mukhurjee, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Swati Maliwal, former top cop turned politico Kiran Bedi, Former DCW chief Barkha Singh among others.
One more victim mother whose daughter was also gang raped in Delhi but none of the accused have been arrested said breaking down “My daughter would have been here if there was justice to Nirbhaya. I want my daughter back, hang the rapists which is their right place. People need to fear the law which they do not right now.”
Kiran Bedi on the occasion said “Charity begins at home, there are many cases of sexual harassment and misconduct in the families these days, which has to be stopped.”
DCW Chief Swati Maliwal said “I appeal to the Central government to utilize Rs 3,000 crore of Nirbhaya fund for making high quality “Nirbhaya” forensic labs across country. The fast track courts are not working they need to deliver justice. The real remembrance to Nirbhaya will only be when 1,500 rape cases pending in the courts are solved. This injustice is a national shame.”
The controversial movie “India’s daughter” was also shown to the present gathering at the spot and in tribute to their daughter, who died 13 days after the incident on December 16, 2012 two minute silence was observed to remember the victim.
The Centre on Monday asked the High Court to extend the observation home stay of the convict, saying it needs clarity on his rehabilitation plan.
The convict was below 18 when he and five others attacked the student and her friend. He was sentenced to three years in a reform home, a punishment seen by many as disproportionate to the enormity of the crime and spurred demands for changes in the law so teenagers involved in serious crimes can be tried as adults. Four other convicts have been sentenced to death and a fifth was found dead in prison.
Meanwhile, Maliwal with the aim of working closely to make Delhi more women friendly has written a letter to the Minister of Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi saying that “rapes are continuing unabated in Delhi every day, the Commission is receiving cases of brutal rapes even of minors some aged as low as 2 years old. A 4-year old child in Delhi was recently in a critical condition after being raped brutally. I strongly propose the use of the Nirbhaya Fund for installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations of the country starting from Delhi. I strongly urge you to kindly ensure the release of the Nirbhaya Fund from the bureaucratic procedures it is presently embroiled in” Maliwal said in a statement”