Open Letter to Delhi Police and Other Authorities Demanding Action Against the Police for Sexual Abuse and Violence

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, are shocked by the reports of sexual harassment and sexual violence perpetrated by the police (in tacit association with some supporters of Narendra Modi), through its words, gestures and actions, on students who were protesting outside Shri Ram College of Commerce and at Maurice Nagar Police Station on February 6, 2013.

We are also dismayed by the vindictive, undemocratic and preemptive manner in which the police have filed ‘rioting’ and other criminal cases on February 7, 2013, against the protestors and victims of sexual harassment after they had filed FIRs against police harassment, while allowing the errant police personnel and others involved in taunting and beating up the protesting students to go free. The FIR is clearly meant to intimidate the students and frighten them into silence so that they do not file any further complaints against the criminal conduct of the police and Modi supporters. With the threat of criminal charges over their heads, if they so much as admit to being present at the protest to exercise their democratic rights, and especially when they are not guilty of any wrongdoing, students will be scared to complain against the ghastly sexual harassment.

On 6th of February, there was a large protest outside SRCC, Delhi University, against the invitation of and talk by Mr Modi by SRCC Students Union. The protest was organised by various students’ groups and individuals. The road in front of SRCC had 3 rows of barricades on each side, some of which were subsequently broken. Not only was the Delhi police extremely vicious in their handling of the situation, their actions were also highly sexist and communal. They passed lewd remarks about women standing near the barricade. Some made kissing gestures and noises, asked women to come closer and talk to them. They also very openly stared and laughed at women in a way that was clearly sexist and disgusting, whistling and winking at and even groping the female students and beating them (and the boys) up sadistically with lathis. In addition water cannons were also used against them. They used the choicest abuses, with ‘kuttia’ (bitch) being among the mildest. When a woman student demanded that women police officers be present at the barricade as well to confront women students, she was told ‘aap aurat kahaan se hain’ (in what way are you a woman?). Women were also told repeatedly to give up as they were too weak to break barricades.

In all this harassment, students supporting Mr Modi and the police seemed to be in connivance with each other, and literally amusing themselves in their harassment of the female protestors Some students (apparently from the ABVP) who were supporting Mr. Modi seemed to have the approval and indulgence of the police. They were allowed on the other side of the barricade. A few even climbed on to the police water cannons and danced on them as they were aimed at the protestors. Some openly threatened female students with Gujarat-like consequences - "Jo Gujarat mein huya vaise tujh me ghusa doonga" (Will thrust into you, as was done in Gujarat), while brandishing a lathi and similar objects. But none of these people was picked up by the police or detained. Instead, after lathi charging students, laughing and joking as they did so, the police engaged in picking up some of the anti-Modi protestors (including young women) and pushing them into a crowd of pro-Modi youth who then beat them in full view of the police. Some anti-Modi protestors were picked up and taken to the police station, and beaten up on the way (including on the head and groin with lathis). These included some students who had not crossed any barricades and were only shouting slogans and then protesting at the police behaviour. At the police station, women students who had come to enquire about others who had been picked up by the police were groped and felt up by the police when they tried to enter. (See a few eyewitness accounts attached)   

We are outraged by the sexually abusive and violent behaviour of men in uniform, behavior that has no place in discharge of the ‘law and order’ duties of police. This behaviour is offensive and unacceptable, especially coming from those entrusted with the task of protecting the citizenry, and is compounded manifold by the police actually aiding lumpen elements in sexual harassment of young women.

Coming in the wake of the recent horrific gang rape in Delhi, this raises huge questions and concerns about the safety of women in Delhi. How can young students ever have the confidence to approach the police to register complaints about sexual violence when policemen themselves indulge in this kind of sexual abuse and permit sexual intimidation in their very presence?

In the evening, when some of us learnt these details, we called up Ms. Sindhu Pillai DCP/North and spoke to her on the phone. She was in complete denial, extremely hostile and blamed the students themselves. Our concerns were simply dismissed with a response that we should “file a complaint,” with justification of the actions of the police. However, in the light of subsequent events, the real intent behind this advice was possibly to identify more protestors so that the police could file criminal cases against the students. Whom should victims of police sexual violence turn to when even senior women officers of DCP rank harbour notions that girls should be “controlled” and should not be out protesting on the streets? What is it if not a reflection of the mindset that girls invite trouble upon themselves by simply being out?

It is an extremely grave and worrisome reflection on the administration of the police force that nothing seems to have changed on the ground, even after tens of thousands protested on the streets of Delhi barely a month ago. How many more crimes will it take, how many more women will have to suffer harassment and violence, and die gruesome deaths, before the police reforms itself, and imbibes gender sensitivity, discipline and a sense of duty and responsibility towards the common citizens of this country? How can we ensure that the police just does its job?

The lack of accountability of the police is one of the significant reasons for the rampant sexual violence in the city and country. If there is any political will to stop this, it must manifest itself through :

an immediate withdrawal of the vindictive and intimidatory police FIR which will deter any student from coming forward to complain against sexual harassment;

suspension of errant officers (the concerned SHOs, ACP and DCP) pending a transparent, and public, inquiry by officers who inspire public confidence.

Prompt and strict action alone can end this impunity. We demand that the state and central governments demonstrate their intent and sincerity to make Delhi a safe place.

1. Prof. Malini Bhattacharya, Ex Chairperson, NCW

2. Prof Uma Chakravarti (Retd), Delhi University

3. Brinda Karat, Former MP, Rajya Sabha

4. Prof Nandini Sundar, Delhi University

5. Prof Utsa Patnaik (Retd),, JNU

6. Prof.Vimal Thorat

7. Githa Hariharan, Author

8. Prof Zoya Hasan, JNU

9. Prof Mary E John, Centre for Women's Studies and Development

10. Seema Mustafa, Centre for Policy Analysis

11. Shabnam Hashmi, Anhad

12. Sehba Faruqui, AIDWA

13. Annie Raja, NFIW

14. Kalpana Mehta, SAHELI

15. Kavita Shrivastava, PUCL

16. Vrinda Grover, Advocate

17. Prof Satish Deshpande, Delhi University

18. Prof Prabhat Patnaik (Retd), JNU

19. Prof. Amiya Bagchi, Institute of Development Studies Kolkata

20. Prof Kamal Mitra Chenoy, JNU

21. Prof Anand Chakravarti (Retd), Delhi University

22. Prof. Mukul Priyadarshini, Delhi University

23. Prof. Rajni Palriwala, Delhi University

24. Prof Dwijendra Nath Kalia, Delhi University

25. Prof Sumangala Damodaran, Delhi University

26. Prof Saumyajit Bhattacharya, Delhi University

27. Prof Pragati Mahapatra, Delhi University

28. Prof Ashwini Deshpande, Delhi University

29. Prof Lata Singh, Delhi University

30. Prof Shamsul Islam, Delhi University

31. Prof Mona Das, Delhi University

32. Prof Shashishekhar Singh, Delhi University

33. Prof Inder Dutt, Delhi University

34. Prof Tara Negi, Delhi University

35. Prof Reyaz Ahmad, Delhi University

36. Prof. Ravinder Jha, Delhi University

37. Prof Rajiv Jha, Delhi University

38. Jagmati Sangwan, AIDWA

39. Prof Jayati Ghosh, JNU

40. Prof Anuradha Chenoy, JNU

41. Prof. Janaki Nair, JNU

42. Prof Kumkum Roy, JNU

43. Ranjana Nirula, CITU

44. AR Sindhu, AIFAWH

45. Prof SS Jodhka, JNU

46. Prof. CP Chandrashekar, JNU

47. Surajit Mazumdar, Ambedkar University, Delhi

48. Prof Mritiunjoy Mohanty, IIM, Kolkata

49. Ram Rahman, SAHMAT

50. Prof. K J Mukherjee, JNU

51. Prof. Praveen Jha, JNU

52. Prof Mohan Rao, JNU

53. Prof Girish Aggarwal, IIT, Delhi

54. Arindam Banerjee, Ambedkar University, Delhi

55. Nandini Rao

56. Prof Ayesha Kidwai, JNU

57. Prof Rohit, South Asian University (SAU)

58. Smita Gupta, AIDWA

59. Akhila Singh, Indian School of Women's Studies and Development

60. Prof. G Arunima, JNU

61. Sadhna Arya

62. Harsh Kapoor, South Asia Citizens Web

63. Indira Chakravarthi, Women Against Sexual Violence & State Repression

64. Prof. Archana Prasad, Jamia Millia Islamia

65. Prof Vamsi Vakulabharanam, University of Hyderabad

66. Shalini Gera, DU

67. Prof Shamim Modi, TISS

68. Justin Burrett (BCL)

69. Mamata Dash, WSS, Delhi

70. Komita Dhanda, JANAM

71. Anurag Modi, Shramik Adivasi Sangthan

72. Prof G Omkarnath, University of Hyderabad

73. Asha Mishra (BGVS)

74. Manoj Kulkarni (Tulika Samwad)

75. Prof Anoop Saraya (AIIMS)

76. Neelima Sharma (Artist)

77. Sameer Dossani (Journalist)

78. Dr Rahul Singh (Delhi)

79. Dipa Sinha, JNU

80. Shweta, JNU

81. Sanjay Basu Mullick, All India Forum of Forest Movements (AIFFM)

82. Zakia Soman, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan

83. Suneeta Dhar

84. Madhu Bala

85. Rahul Roy

86. Kamayani Bali Mahabal (Advocate)

87. Uma V. Chandru, WSS Karnataka

88. Shraddha Chickeru

89. Geetha Nambisan

90. Elisabeth Armstrong

91. Madhurima Nundy

92. Prof. N. Raghuram, President, IPU Teachers Association

93. Prof Vijita S Aggarwal, IP University

94. Bhargavi Dilipkumar, Delhi Forum

95. Prof Shalini Arora, IGIT

96. Annie Jangam

97. Sarvesh Tripathi USMC, IP University

98. Prof. Chhaya Ravi Kant, IP University

99. Nakul Sawhney

100. Prof Ritoo Jerath, JNU

101. Vimal Bhai, NAPM

102. Kiran Shaheen, Women for Water Democracy

103. Anurag Modi, Shramik Adivasi Sangathan

104. Warish Farasat, Lawyer

105. Anjali Sinha

106. Nalini Vishwanathan

To: Shri Neeraj Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Delhi, [email protected]

Cc: Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Home Minister of India, [email protected]

Shri Tejinder Khanna, Lt Governor, Delhi, [email protected]

Smt Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister, Delhi, [email protected]

Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, [email protected]

Smt.Mamta Sharma, Chairperson, National Commission for Women, [email protected], [email protected]

Ms. Sindhu Pillai DCP, North Delhi, [email protected]

Smt Barkha Shukla Singh, Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women, [email protected] <[email protected]>

Attachment 1: Eyewitness accounts at kafila.org