AMN / New Delhi
Noted women personalities of India, from all walks of life have joined an online protest called by the Women’s Department of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) to denounce the politics of hate, sexual violence and misogyny, peddled by apps like ‘Sulli Deals’ and ‘Bulli Bai’.
Prominent women activists, lawyers, journalists, social, political and community leaders including Ms. Flavia Agnes a women’s right lawyer, Advocate Maitreyi Krishnan co-convenor of All India Lawyers Association for Justice, Advocate Jaleesa Sultana a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Ms.Khalida Parveen,an activist from Hyderabad who was also targeted on the app, Ms.Kavita Srivastava a human rights activist, Ms.Sheema Mohsin national general secretary of Welfare party of India, Ms.Afreen Fatima national secretary Fraternity Movement, Ms.Fatima Nafees mother of missing JNU student Najeeb, Ms.Shayma research scholar JNU and others spoke at the ‘National Online Protest Gathering’ titled “Nari ka Samman, Desh ka Abhiman. JIH Women’s Department secretaries Ms.Atiya Siddiqua and Ms.Rahamathunnisa and its central committee member Ms.Shaista Rafat also addressed the protest gathering.
They all reiterated their solidarity to the women who have been targeted in this condemnable and criminal activity of ‘auctioning’ Muslim women, particularly those who are actively participating in public life and are journalists, activists, movement leaders and academics. They strongly demanded to give compensation to those who were targeted.
The speakers have raised many questions over the issue. They questions on the culture of sexual impunity that allows such incidents to repeatedly take place even as they are taken ‘cognizance’ of by the state and police authorities. They also raised questions on the heated debate around the age of the accused, and how this should not be treated as an excuse to allow them to go scot-free, and the need to fight for justice instead of putting the blame on the women who have been targeted. Many of the speakers pushed for the need for people from all communities and regions to speak up against the culture of hate. The nature of gendered Islamophobia was highlighted as well in the protest gathering. The meeting’s welcome address was delivered by Ms.Fakhira Tabassum and anchored by Ms.Humera Koppal.