New Delhi, May 20: An activist travelling to
Delhi from West Bengal to participate in the ongoing farmer’s agitation at
Tikri border on the outskirts of Delhi, the capital of India, was allegedly
assaulted and rape in a running train last week. She was allegedly raped by her
colleagues who also claimed to be active members of an outfit which is supposed
to be participating in the peasant stir. The woman died at a local hospital
four days later due to Covid-19 complications after being infected by the virus.
However, All India Kisan Sangharsh
Coordination Committee, an apex body of peasants which has been spearheading
the movement, denied having any links with the miscreants and asked the
authorities to take appropriate action against the accused. The committee also
dubbed the incident as a conspiracy to defame the protest that has put the
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government on the mat over three contentious
farm bills.
The matter came into light when
father of the victim lodged a complaint with the local police charging two of
members of Kisan Social Army of allegedly raping her daughter during the course
of their journey from West Bengal. The famer body in a statement said that the
organisation to which the accused belong has nothing to do with the agitation
and they have been asked to wind up their tents and other belongings.
Meanwhile, Haryana Police have
constituted an SIT to nab the accused involved in the rape case of the woman at
the Tikri farmers' protest site. Anup Singh, one of the accused in the alleged
'rape' case has claimed that the allegations against him are a 'conspiracy to
defame farmers' agitation'. In a video message, Singh said that there was an
incident of 'assault' on-board a train, but the allegations of 'rape at the
Tikri border' are 'false'.
"Culprits should be punished.
But rape accusations are wrong... I am still at the Tikri border site,"
Singh said while pleading his innocence
The activist was assaulted by some
of these persons on the way to Delhi and after reaching the Tikri border, a
week later, the victim developed high fever and was found COVID-19 positive.
She was admitted to a private hospital in Bahadurgarh. But she passed away due
to COVID-19.
The victim was again allegedly
'raped' inside a tent at the Tikri border, where the farmers are holding their protest.
The 26-year-old woman was admitted to Shivam Hospital four days before her
death.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha said that
it “stands with the struggle for justice for our deceased woman colleague. SKM
has already taken strict action against the accused in this case and we are
committed to take this fight for justice to its logical conclusion.”
“When this came to the notice of the
SKM, we decided to take the strictest possible action. Four days ago, the Tikri
committee of SKM had already removed the tents and banners of the so called
‘Kisan Social Army’. The accused were also barred from participating in the
movement and public appeal was issued for their social boycott,” the Morcha
added
While taking cognizance of the
incident, The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) set up Mahila Suraksha Committee to ensure
safety of all women participating in the movement.
The National Working Group of AIKSCC
reviewed the incidents at Tikri border relating to the sexual assault on a
young activist and expressed their strong condemnation and expresses its
deepest commitment to ensure safety of all women protesters participating in
the movement with zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
It expressed satisfaction that an
FIR has been registered in the matter on the basis of the complaint filed by
the grieving father of the victim from which it appears that she was forcefully
confined, kidnapped, blackmailed, threatened and repressed, apart from being
raped. AIKSCC demands that based on the FIR, all aspects should be enquired
into by the concerned authority and those found guilty should be given the
strictest punishment.
AlKSCC has set up a Mahila Suraksha
Committee to look into all gender related crimes and to protect the rights of
women in all its functioning and gatherings including the ongoing farmers’
movement and the incident at Tikri. The Committee shall further take steps to
prevent any such incident in future and look into all complaints and enforce
all steps to ensure safety, security and dignity of women participants at the
dharna sites and all recommendations of the Committee shall be implemented
immediately. The Committee shall work in close coordination and collaboration
with any such forum formed by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.
Members of the Mahila Suraksha
Committee are: Medha Patkar – President, Pratibha Shinde, Brinda Karat, Amarjeet
Kaur, Kavita Krishnan, Ritu Kaushik, Poonam Kaushik and Annie Raja.
“AIKSCC stands for all-out efforts
being put in by Samyukt Kisan Morcha in fully investigating all the details
pertaining to this case. Steps shall also be taken by AIKSCC to address all the
health issues, including Covid health issues of the participants, particularly
for women,” the statement said.
AIKSCC in a statement said, “Hundreds
of thousands of women have been participating in our Delhi farmers' protests
now on for the last six months. They have played a heroic role and shall
continue to be the most important pillar in its success to achieve repeal of the
three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP of all crops. They have braved
state repression, media defamation and patriarchal hurdles to assert their
right to protest. For AIKSCC, full and prompt justice in the present instance,
and setting up of systems that will prevent recurrences is of utmost importance”.
Further AIKSCC said it shall remain
vigilant against all forces which may try to utilize this incident to bring
dishonour to the ongoing farmers movement, the AIKSCC and the SKM.
AIKSCC deeply mourned the passing
away of a committed, passionate and enthusiastic young woman supporter of the
farmers' movement, after suffering great injustice and trauma and stood
strongly with the family of the young girl.
It urged the government of Haryana
to step up the pace of investigation and prosecution to provide justice to the
victim and book all culprits who are found to be involved in the crime.