Vinod Mascarenhas
Beltangady, Oct 18: Capuchin Krishik Seva Kendra, Vimukti Mahila Okkuta organized a protest on October 18, against Sowjanya, the 17-year-old girl who was found raped and killed near Pangala, Dharmasthala here on October 10, while returning from college at 5 pm.
The protest was against the most inhumane incident which took the life of a poor girl.
More than 700 women participated and marched a silent protest from Beltangady bus stand to Taluk office and police station and gave an appeal to the Tashildar as well as to the sub inspector of Beltangady Taluk station to speed up the investigation of Sowjanya’s case.
Mamatha Rai, the 6-14 programme coordinator of Vuimukti, shared the introductory words about the protest. She said that the protest is against the cruel act, and for it to not repeat again at Beltangady Taluk. “The situation today of Sowjanya must be thought as ours too, otherwise there will be sure such incidents on us too”, she stated.
Adding to this she said that the protest that has been undertaken is peaceful and conducted not to harm to anyone but justice towards Sowjanya’s death must prevail.
Later the president of Mahila okkuta, Savitha spoke at the occasion and said that the incident like Sowjanya describes about the inferiority complex that the society has towards women. And this incident really takes back the step of women empowerment and kills the confidence level of women in the society.
“Here as the active women we must get united to fight against these cruelties and get justice as well as safety to up bring well our children too in the society”, she said.
Finally Fr Vinod Mascarenhas, the director of Capuchin krishik Seva Kendra spoke at the juncture and gave a rising cry to the public as well as to the participated women of Beltangady Taluk.
He said, “the person who was arrested for the crime has committed the crime it seems but is it true..? The incident is making us to pose several questions but none are answered at this time, so how can we say that there is security? As the incidents are recorded total 52 innocent lives were murdered at Taluk level and the record is of 52 cases and what about unrecorded cases? If these incidents are taking place again and again it gives the clear sign that the law and order system is high jacked by the most influential people in the locality!”.
He added saying that even the arrested man was also caught by the public and handed over to the police, if this is the case certainly the rural backward, vulnerable people have less faith in the legal system and on those who take care of it.
As per the saying ‘Might is Right’ so also the security, legal authority is blind and give constant heed to the powerful senseless corrupt people.
In the end he pleaded to the public to participate and march against this incident and seek justice at every level so that no such incidents will ever rise at Beltangady.