We condemn the horrific rape and murder of a young Dalit woman from Hathras, UP.

We demand immediate action against the state officials responsible for mishandling the case, destroying key evidence, and further traumatising the family and community.

SHAME ON THE STATE THAT STANDS WITH THE GUILTY.

SHAME ON THE STATE THAT INCREASES THE IMPUNITY WITH WHICH UPPER CASTE FORCES COMMIT VIOLENCE AND HATE CRIMES.

Today, over 10,000 people from all walks of life, cutting across caste, religion, gender, occupation and community came together from almost every state in India and more than a dozen countries across the world such US, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Hong Kong, Japan, Nepal, Netherlands, Sweden, Slovenia etc to demand justice for the heinous rape, brutalising attack and murder of a young Dalit woman from Hathras.

In a sharp statement condemning the incident, they got together to say that “despite a continuing saga of countless other cases of brutal sexual assault and murders especially of young Dalit women the conscience of this nation does not seem to be shaken enough to do anything serious to stop the systematic targeting of women, Dalits and the poor.”

While there is a historicity to these incidents, but under CM Yogi’s rule, Uttar Pradesh has only gone from bad to worse. Crimes against women and Dalits have increased, and police have been given unlimited powers without any accountability. Today UP tops the charts for atrocities against Dalits, it also tops the charts for crimes against women.

Even as the tragic news of the death of the victim from Hathras was coming in, more case s of sexual violence on Dalit women have come upin from Balrampur, Bulandshahar, Azamgarh, all in UP. The growing support base for Thakurs, the fact that no official visited the girl’s family even once after her death, tells us the facts as they are, nobody cares and caste solidarity remains one of the ugliest and strongest kinship performances of the modern Indian State and one that must be challenged and broken. The actions of the state will only further strengthen those who continue to commit such crimes without any fear of punishment.

While the caste atrocities gain public attention only when they manifest themselves as sexual violence, suicide or murders, we also need to understand the ways in which caste manifests itself in our daily lives. The Hathras case is a blatant case of upper caste power and patriarchy operating through both, socially sanctioned violence and through state agencies.

we, as members of society and WOMEN’S AND FEMINIST movementS affirm our resolve to address the issue of caste based discrimination, violence and atrocities, until its complete annihilation.

We believe that a proper course of justice, fair investigation, holding the guilty persons and police and other state officials responsible are the only way forward. It is only fear of certain justice and accountability that can stop privileged men from committing such crimes. The state must not, we repeat NOT, push a rhetoric of death penalty for rape – for we have seen time and again that that is not the answer to stopping crimes, sexual or otherwise, anywhere in the world! After all, in our own country, it is barely 6 months since the hanging of those held guilty of the December 2012 gang rape and murder in Delhi. Has it stopped the guilty of Hathras, or Balramur, or Bulandshahr or Azamgarh… or anywhere else?

In their demands, the signatories sought strict action against both, those guilty of the crimes of gangrape and murder, as well as officials who manhandled the case, exposed the identity of the victim and wilfully destroyed crucial forensic evidence.

The signatories included teachers, activists, journalists, homemakers, corporate sector executives, designers, cultural groups and artists, writers, poets, school teachers, students, retired private and public officials, film societies, medical and other students and faculty, IT professionals, and numerous others. Prominent among them are:

Well known progressive voices like Dr Syeda Hamid, Aruna Roy, Maimoona Mollah, Annie Raja, Beena Pallical, Cynthia Stephens, Rose Dzuvichu, Masooma Ranalvi, Roshmi Goswami, Anjali Bharadwaj, Kavita Krishnan, Dr Ajita Rao, Kalyani Menon Sen, Chayanika Shah, Rituparna, Bittu, Shampa Sengupta, Ranjana Padhi, Elina Horo, Sabina Martins Jarjum Ete, Kiran Deshmukh, Rita Manchanda, Meera Sangamitra.

and others

Retired public officials such as Jawahar Sircar (Former Culture Secretary, GoI and ex CEO, Prasar Bharati), Jerusha Rai, Kavita Singh, Former Police Office Officer? (Jaipur), Latha Reddy (retd IFS) and others

Legal luminaries like Indira Jaising, Flavia Agnes, Poonam Kaushik, Shalini Gera,

Individuals and groups from the worlds of culture such as Aparna Sen, Maya Krishna Rao, Anju Mahendru, Adhuna, Anjali Montiero, Mallika Taneja, Vani Subramanian and others , as well as Progressive Writers Association, Artists United, IPTA, Banjara Theatre, Samudaya Theater group, Jazba Theatre Group, Jana Natya Manch, Peoples’ Theatre Group

Senior journalists such as Ankita Anand, Pamela Phillipose, Kavin Malar, Rajshri Dasgupta, Antara Dev Sen, Sujata Madhok, Francesca Mascarenhas.

Eminent Academics like Mary John, Nivedita Menon, Janaki Nair, Sadhna Arya, Meena Gopal, Lata Singh, and others.

And hundreds of rights groups including Saheli, Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression, Dalit Sthree Sakthi, NFIW, AIDWA, AIPWA, Forum Against Oppression of Women, Dr. Ambedkar Medicos Association, NWMI, Haatemalo, Human Rights Forum of India, National Alliance of Peoples’ Movements, Majlis, HAQ: Centre for Child Rights, Dalit Arthik Adhikar Andolan, Dalit Women Fight, Dalit Intellectual Collective, Dalit Ekta, Dalit Women Fight Delhi University Women’s Association, Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, AUD Queer Collective, PUCL, Mahila Dakshita Samiti, Orinam Indian Social Institute, ANHAD, Bebaak Collective, Asmita Collective, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, National Domestic Workers Movement, Naga Mothers Association, Gramya Resource Centre for Women, Alternative Law Forum, Community Awareness for Rural Development, Forum for Justice and Peace, Lawyer’s Collective, Women’s Forum, LABIA – A queer feminist LBT Collective, Vidrohi Mahila Manch, South Asians for Human Rights, Xommonoy (a queer collective), Satark Nagrik Sangathan, Sachetana, Progressive Democratic Students Union, Vanchit Bal Adhikaar manch, All India Union of Forest Working People, Bhim army, Queerala, Bharat Bachao Andolan, YWCA, WeSpeakOut, Streebal, Maati, Sahiyar, Sampada Garmin Mahila Sanstha, SANGRAM, Sangli, Women and Transgender JAC, SAATHI, Democratic Youth Federation of India, SAMA, Adivasi Women’s Network, All India Students Federation, Gamana Mahila Samuha, Free Speech Collective, VAMP Sangli, KSSP, National Alliance of Women, Haatemalo Collective, Nirantar Delhi, Nagaland Deaf Association, Delhi Science Forum, Feminist Learning Partnerships, South Asia Forum for Human Rights etc.