Bengaluru: Women join hands to form massive human chain protesting mass molestations on New Year’s eve

Various other protests including those organised by political parties have gained momentum too.

Bengaluru, January 7: In an unprecedented move, Bangalore’s women today hit back at chauvinism prevalent in society. A massive rally has been organised by various women’s organisations protesting the atrocious mass molestations on women that took place on New Year’s eve.

The group of activists will today form a mega human chain outside the Vidhan Soudha and High Court of Karnataka. The protest has also garnered mass appeal of Bangaloreans and went viral under the tag of ‘Touch Me Not’ on social media sites. The gathering will happen in the Cubbon park area from 11 am to 1 pm today.

In a social media post, a member of the organisational team for ‘Touch Me Not’ posted, “Bangalore, you have remained silent for far too long. Let us wake our CM and everybody sitting in Vidhana Soudha by raising our voice. Spare two hours of your Saturday to step out to protest. Together, we can raise our voice. Saturdays might be your day to relax but ask yourself one question. Are you safe in this city? And no, we will not go to Freedom Park to protest. Instead, we shall raise our slogans before the giant structure that promises to protect people.

To the government condemning incidents but doing nothing about it, we want to ask you –

If Nirbhaya’s incident was not enough for you to act, then what is? If the pictures and videos are not your evidence, then what is? If a woman’s horrifying testimony is not strong enough to call for action, then what is?”

Various other protests including those organised by political parties have gained momentum too. The concept of ‘Night Walks’ were initiated this Saturday wherein women take to the streets from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m in a bid to prove their right to enjoy a safe night out at any hour of the day. Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana (AIDWA) too staged a protest on Thursday demanding more action.

On New Year’s eve, women in Bangalore’s Kamanahalli were subject to mass molestations across the city. Some of the shocking incidents recorded on CCTV have shaken the nation’s conscience. While, certain political leaders including Bangalore’s Home Minister attributed the blame on women for wearing short clothes, a Burqa clad woman was molested just a week after the horrific New Year incident.

#Bangalore Massive protests organised against #Kamanahalli mass molestations on women on New Year’s eve pic.twitter.com/psd53NCVuN

— Indiacom (@indiacom) January 7, 2017