At a press conference in Patna, women's organizations said that a joint meeting was held on 3 February 2022 to discuss the Gayaghat remand home issue with reference to the statement given by the woman who was freed from the remand home. On the evening of 2 February the woman spoke in detail with representatives of women's organizations. They also got the information that another girl has also made a statement on the issue.
The Patna High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter. Women's organizations welcome this step taken by the Court. Our demands from the government are:
1. The statement by the Social Welfare Department evaluating the woman's character and revealing her identity is wrong, and the government should take action against this.
2. An enquiry committee chaired by a sitting judge of the Patna High Court should be formed to enquire into the entire Gayaghat Remand Home issue.
3. Instead of keeping girls jailed in Remand Homes as if in prison, it is necessary to take steps to change them into Reform/Correction Homes. The Muzaffarpur Shelter Home incident has proved this. Therefore, arrangements should be made inside the Homes for schools and doctors for the mentally ill.
There is talk of vocational training so that the women become self-reliant but this is not implemented anywhere. Arrangements for vocational training should be made.
4. Representatives from women's organizations and social organizations should be sent at regular intervals for inspection of Reform/Correction Homes and to talk to the inmates.
5. Women's organizations and human rights organizations should have the right to go into Reform/Correction Homes whenever they want. The process for permission should be simplified.
The meeting was attended by AIPWA representatives Meena Tiwari, Shashi Yadav and Afsha Zabin, Bihar Mahila Samaj representatives Nivedita and Rinku, Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Samiti representatives Rampari and Rashmi Shrivastav, AWSF representative Asma Khan, AIMSS representative Anamika, CHORUS representative Samta Rai and others.
On behalf of women's organizations we hope and expect that the government will take immediate steps in the matter, failing which a protest program will be organized on 9 February.
