AIPWA Protests Escalating Violence against Women in Uttar Pradesh

AIPWA organized protests across the State of Uttar Pradesh on 21 July 2020 against the escalating violence against women in the State and the incident where two women from Amethi (mother and daughter) seeking justice attempted self-immolation in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s office ‘Lok Bhavan’ and sustained 80% and 20% burns respectively.

Observing physical distancing and other pandemic prevention rules, AIPWA activists protested with slogans against Goonda Raj in UP and violence and repression against the poor, dalits, adivasis and women perpetrated by the BJP government.

Speaking on the occasion, AIPWA State President Krishna Adhikari said that at a time when the people of Uttar Pradesh are struggling to cope with the pandemic, violence against women is growing at an alarming rate under the BJP government. The incident of attempted self-immolation by the 2 women from Amethi in the capital Lucknow shows that the doors of justice are tightly closed to the poor. The Yogi government is squarely responsible for this heart-wrenching incident. Repression and violence against dalits and adivasis for eviction purposes has also increased considerably under this government. Such incidents have been reported from Lucknow, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Lakheempur and Azamgarh but no FIRs are registered and no arrests made.

State secretary Kusum Verma said that the government has a budget amounting to crores for construction of the Ram Mandir but no funds and no plans for resolving the starvation and unemployment issues of the people.

The protests were led by AIPWA State Vice President Arati Rai and Joint Secretary Geeta Pandey. Apart from Lucknow, protests were also held at Lakheempur, Mathura, Sitapur, Banaras, Devariya, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Ghazipur and Sonbhadra.

AIPWA made the following demands through the protests:

• AIPWA strongly condemns the heart-wrenching incident of self-immolation by 2 women in front of CM’s office and demands high level medical facilities for seriously injured Safiya and proper treatment for her injured daughter Gudiya. We also demand prompt justice on the issue of their land dispute in Amethi.
• AIPWA strongly condemns the molestation of dalit women by feudal forces at Sanwardhir village in Thana Haidarganj, Ayodhya, and the registering of a false FIR against the victim dalit women. AIPWA expressed solidarity with the dalit women and their family members who were injured in the clash during the incident and demands medical examination and proper treatment for them. AIPWA expressed solidarity with dalit families of this village who have been struggling for long for proper wages.
• Two dalit women were half-stripped and beaten up by District Panchayat member (supported by the ruling powers) Mahendra Rao in Chakiya Block, Chandauli District.AIPWA strongly condemns this incident and expresses solidarity with the 2 women and demands medical exam and proper treatment for them; we also demand an FIR to be registered naming the main accused person.
• The perpetrators of the sexual assault against AIPWA leader Jeera Bharti in Mirzapur have not yet been arrested even after 20 days. AIPWA demands the arrest of the attackers without delay, failing which Mirzapur DM and SP should be suspended.