Bengaluru: People from many parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, and several rural areas protested on Saturday against sexual harassment of women and minorities after incidents of sexual violence across the country.
The protesters marched from the City Central Railway Station till Freedom Park. The protesters, accompanied by drummers, chanted slogans like "my body, my right" and "freedom for women".
Senior citizens, students, children, men, women and members of transgender community took part in the protest. It was the first march of its kind in the city after the New Year's Eve incidents.
Bindu Malini, a city-based artist, along with Deepti Sudhindra among others performed at Freedom Park. Passages from “The Vagina Monologues” by author Eve Esler were read and a petition was proposed asking the state government to make public spaces safe for women. “We are angry. There is no denying that we aren't as safe as we need to be. Shockingly, we found out that most of Rs 300 crore set aside for women safety has not been used. Karnataka has not mentioned a single line in the budget about making urban spaces safe for women and that needs to change. It is a long struggle but this is only the beginning. Women need to come out and stand together in the fight," said Ms Tara Krishnaswamy, a member of Citizens for Bengaluru.
