A public protest at Jantar Mantar by a broad platform comprising of national women’s organisations and groups expressed solidarity with rape survivors from Haryana on January 13. The meeting highlighted the complete lack of follow up in the concerned cases by the state government. Testimonies from the survivors and their families are being presented over the course of the three day solidarity meeting beginning on January 13th.. On day one of the meeting attended by more than a hundred women, the testimony of four rape survivors was recounted. The protest meeting noted that not only were the survivors denied justice by the law enforcement machinery but were deprived of support in the form of decent rehabilitation, which was crucial for them to fight their case. Brinda Karat, former Rajya Sabha member of Parliament noted that the justice delivery system had to be strengthened with time bound justice being a non-negotiable. She also said that stringent action needed to be taken against police officials who did not follow the proper procedures, or who impeded justice. Sociologist Prem Choudhry stressed the need for raising our voice against such atrocities and was especially critical of the role of Khap panchayats. She said there was a growing backlash by conservative forces. Jagmati Sangwan, from the IDWA spoke of the need for urgent rehabilitation on the lines suggested by the Women and Child Department and demanded that adequate funds be provided for the same without which any talk of rehabilitation of rape survivors and their families was meaningless. Sudha Sundararaman, general secretary, AIDWA, called for more sustained efforts by all organisations till the demands were met. Others who spoke included Jyotsna Chatterjee of the Joint Women’s Programme, Rashpal Kaur of National Federation of Indian Women, Sarla James from Guild of Service, Vimal Thorat from the All India Dalit Mahila Adhikaar Manch and Deepa from Samta.
Case details of rape survivors who spoke on January 13 (names of survivors have been changed)
District Jind – Village Pillukhera – The railway quarter rape case
Ramrati, who belongs to a backward caste was at home on September 2012 when at 3.30 pm, three men entered her home forcibly asking for her husband’s phone number. As she went inside to get the phone number they followed her and locked the door. They threatened her with a pistol and raped her one after the other. Her daughter who was out playing returned home and finding the door locked raised an alarm. the rapists escaped. Ramrati took a neighbour and went to the nearest police station. Thew SHO asked told her neighbour to leave and the survivor was not satisfied with the statement that the police had recorded. Later on she gave a statement to the magistrate.
The accused comprise of one dalit youth and two men from the jat community from the same village as the rape survivor. The survivor and her family have received no support from the village community. Despite meeting the collector, no compensation as yet has been given to her.
District Rohtak – Village Ajayab
On28th November, Shanti who belongs to the Dhanak caste (SC) was raped by 5 people. She is an agricultural worker and her husband is a driver. the night of the incident, she was fast asleep with her 4 children and her husband was away on duty. The main door had a flimsy lock. At 1.30 am 3 people entered her house and forcibly took her away where two others were already present. Each one of them took turns to rape her. When her youngest son began crying for milk the rapists left her and ran away. Shanti could recognize 3 of them. Of the 5 accused two are still absconding. Shanti’s medical was done by the police but she was not given medical treatment and the lady doctors were very insensitive. The Sarpanch of the village maintained a neutral stand on the matter and did not give any support. The JMS met the SP and demanded rehabilitation, counselling as well as arrest of the remaining accused. Finally Shanti managed to get some financial relief under the SC/ST act. No other form of long term rehabilitation or compensation has been given despite the urgent need for the same. There is still a lot of pressure on her to compromise and withdraw the cases..
District Sonepat, Village Banwasa – Gang rape survivor not given a single paisa in support.
Nineteen year old Kiran from the Dhanak community was staying at her parents when she was misled and gangraped. She was taken to Gohana town by an acquaintance who said that Kiran’s husband wanted to talk to her. As Kiran knew the acquaintance, a woman, she did not hesitate to go. When she reached the designated place, she found a few men waiting in a vehicle and they assured here that they would take her. They chloroformed her and took her into nearby fields and raped her. Of the four rapists, one of them belonged to a backward caste and the others were Dalits. For several days, the copy of the FIR was not given to Kiran and her family. The village panchayat also put a lot of pressure on her family to remove the name of the accomplice woman. It is notable that not a single person from the administration has visited the victim of gang rape or even given any relief. The Janwadi Mahila Samiti helped the family with some provisions but no help has come from the government. Kiran’s in laws too have become hostile and are reluctant to take her back. She stays with her family.
These were some of the testimonies exposing the Haryana Government’s insensitivity and non serious attitude, leading to denial of justice to the rape survivors.
