NRIs protest against gender violence in India

Edison, NJ: Against a background of ever'increasing reports of rape and other violence on women in India, several individuals including the NJ chapter members from Association For India Development, People For Loksatta, India Against Chapter, Telangana Development Forum gathered on Friday, March 8th, in Oak Tree Road, New Jersey to stand in solidarity with victims and survivors of gender violence in India. Given the growing outrage in India as a result of the recent rape case in Delhi, the protestors wanted to raise awareness and express anger against the alarming incidence of violence.

This event marked special mention of Soni Sori, an adivasi school teacher currently held in the Central Jail in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, India. Similar protests have also been organized in other cities including Boston, London and several cities in India on the ocassion of the International Women's Day on March 8th. Soni Sori has been the symbol of global protests in the past due to the custodial rape and torture she had to face from the jail authorities.

Sori was arrested in New Delhi on October 4, 2011 and accused of being a Maoist supporter. Despite her appeals to cowaurts in New Delhi, she was handed over to the Chhattisgarh police and taken to the state where she was beaten, sexually assaulted and given electric shocks by the police. Sori documented her torture in letters she wrote to her lawyer, and which have since been widely publicized.

A petition in support of Soni Sori was read out by Suresh Ediga, the organizer of the event. The petition was then signed by all the articipants and a copy of the same would be handed over to the Indian Embassy in New York in the coming days. They then took out a silent march in an effort to create more awareness about Soni Sori and her fight for justice. Each one of the participants recorded a 10 second video in support of Soni Sori, as part of the One Billion rising for Soni Sori. It is noteworthy to mention that Sori has been acquitted in four out of the eight cases in which she was charged.

Participants also took part in an impromptu discussion and discussed among the other things why Soni Sori should matter, why tribal issues in remote villages of Chattisgarh should matter and how citizens can play an active role in bringing transparency and accountability in governance? Organizers assured that this is just one in a many series of actions to speak against the injustice and violence that women face on a daily basis.