Girlcott protests gathering steam
Richa Dubey is a working professional like many of us, but she has done what most of us only think about. This communication consultant and resident of Sector 50, Gurgaon, initiated Gurgaon Girlcott ( rallying for a safer Gurgaon for women), and will be holding a peaceful assembly along with supporters of the group in the Galleria Market, Gurgaon today at 5.30 pm.
It was the lackdiascal attitude of the administration towards rape and violence against women that prompted Richa to take the first step of starting the Gurgaon Girlcott Facebook page, which has over 344 members. She says, “I realised that we need to move beyond protests and submitting petitions. This is a token gesture that has the potential to grow and can be sustained for long as many of us are working professionals, who can easily devote a few hours in a week for the cause.”
Richa adds, “We’ve received an encouraging response from Asmita theatre group, NGO Let’s Walk Gurgaon and amateur music group Gurgaon Drum Circle and several others. Gurgaon is even more cosmopolitan than Delhi, and for the first time there’s a sense of community here.”
Kapil Syal of Gurgaon Drum Circle says, “I came to Gurgaon when it was only a dream. You build a community from scratch. The events that led people here to hold protests, have instilled in us anger and distrust. The Gurgaon Drum Circle has close to 1,200 members and we’re extending our support to bring communities together. Another photography group Tassavurrati too will cover the event and help spread awareness on how we can all bring a change.”
Sehba Imam, of Let’s Walk Gurgaon, has been holding protests in Gurgaon since the unfortunate rape incidents in March this year. Sehba says, “We held a protest at Sahara Mall two days after the gruesome rape and another one in Gurgaon Sector 29 police station. Ours is an ongoing protest and we will extend our support to any group that comes forward for a similar cause. Over 100 people from Let’s Walk Gurgaon will be there on Friday.”
Street play is another powerful medium to hold the attention of passersby and highlight an issue in the form of a play. Shilpi Marwaha of Asmita Theatre group informs that the group has been performing the play Dastak, based on atrocities on women in malls and other venues in Gurgaon. She says, “At times, members of the audience have stepped up and shared their experience, some even bring their young daughters to watch the play.”
Hindol Sengupta, founding trustee of the Whypoll Trust, which is mapping unsafe places in Gurgaon says, “We’re still in the process of doing the survey and five places have already emerged as most unsafe. From Sahara Mall to Ghittorni Metro station, South City and MG Road are some of the places. We’ve sent women’s safety manifesto for Delhi MCD polls to the chief minister, Rahul Gandhi, sitting MPS in Delhi and it’s being sent to all councillors in Gurgaon as well.”