Showing posts with label Open Letter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Open Letter. Show all posts

Open Letter to Mr Amar Singh Rai, from an Ex- student

6:12 PM


Dear Amar Sir,

It's been a long time since we have been in touch and you probably won’t remember my name and face, even if I brought it here.
Unfortunately the situation in the hills is such that I cannot even do that. I cannot write this open letter with my real name and identity because the political party you are from and the party which has nominated you as their MP candidate don’t know what democracy is and how it works.
 The concept of Freedom of Speech is rocket science to them and they willfully ignore that it is my constitutional right. For that matter they don’t even know what Constitution is. So I apologise for bothering you anonymously.

But the questions I raise here, are genuine.

It’s been almost a decade that I passed out from College but had always carried the pride of being one of your students. Always looked upon you as a man of intellect, integrity and statesmanship. But now I FEEL LET DOWN.
Open Letter to Mr Amar Singh Rai, from an Ex- student.
Amar Singh Rai with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

In 2016, when your name was announced by the then GJMM as the MLA candidate from Darjeeling,it was a very exciting and proud moment for me, I still remember texting to almost all my Whatsapp contacts about you and asking them all to vote for you. Wrote articles and posts in social media in your  support, campaigned for you in my locality and to my relatives. I did everything possible in my own little way  to make you win.

But now, I FEEL BETRAYED. Yes sir, you betrayed me and 10000s like me.
Why sir? Why?

I never expected your political ambition would one day make you choose the camp of traitors and band of enemies.  Never thought you would be so unscrupulous behind that polite, decent,well-mannered personality. Was that a farce or is what you show today one?

Anyway, let me stop this emotional rant and lay down what I am here to say. I have few questions for you sir. I don’t expect to you reply to me, because I am very aware that there’s no reply and even if the reply comes it would be nothing but lies and deceit mired in ambiguity.

Sir, I have noticed that you have been promising people in Tea Estates, Cinchona Garden and Forest Dwellers about their Land Rights. That reminded me of the GJMM Manifesto of 2016 (Of course I have shared that manifesto to 100s of people while campaigning for you) and the promises you made that time. My question is how many times have you raised the issue in Bidhan Sabha in past 2 years?

You are a very learned and knowledgeable person (at least that’s what I believed), especially about civic and political science. I don’t have to remind you that Land is the subject matter that comes under the State List of power distribution in our Constitution.

So, don’t you think you were/are in a perfect place as a MLA in state assembly to press for the demand of Land Rights for our people?
Where on earth did you get the idea of going to Delhi (Lok Sabha) for getting something that is in Kolkata (Bidhan Sabha)? I apologise if I sound disrespectful here but it seems to me you are losing your intellectuality by being in the company of liars and frauds. Or have you turned into one too?

Sir, the party and the leader that has nominated you for MP has been in power for the past 7 years in the state. They had every authority and capacity to grant Land Rights to our people but they never looked into that. How can you now stand along with them and tell our people that is what the party will provide for them?
Sir, why are you fooling us? The Chief Minister and her administrative and political dispensation’s policy towards us has always been that of a colonist, what makes you  think that she has changed her attitude toward us?

You talk about the welfare of Tea workers but do you know (off course you know) that one of the Tea Garden Owner who hasn’t paid blood and sweat money of 6 tea garden workers and abandoned thousands of them is from the same party you are a  candidate of and he still enjoys political protection from the leader whose ticket you are contesting on? Even you must know, she is a top class hypocrite. She talks about the welfare of tea workers, and yet she protects the people who subjugate them? And you have been speaking the same language in recent days. Why this hypocrisy sir? Why this sycophancy sir? 

By the way, there has been an allegation that your party compromised on the 5% of Bonus of the Tea workers, so that the tea garden owners would benefit?  Do you think such  people will work for the welfare of our Tea Workers?

Sir, do you remember what happened in 2017? Do you remember how they tried to impose their language upon us? Do you know how we had to bleed to oppose and safeguard our language? It’s the same power and people whom who you are trying to project today as a messiah.Why sir? The person and power who wanted to dilute our language, culture, identity is today talking about giving  us “identity” and you want us to believe that?? Why are you trying to fool yourself and us too sir??

And the most shocking, but now no more surprising was the statement you made day before in a press conference. “No, No, Gorkhaland is not in our Agenda”, well that was much anticipated. The day you joined Enemy of Jaati, you buried the Agenda of Gorkhaland. But the most upsetting is what you said after that. “Because we feel that there are other priorities, more important than Gorkhaland”, Really!! You got something more important than Gorkhaland?? What is that? You political ambition? Money? What is it?

No, don’t tell me about “development” thing.

Remember, I am your student and you cannot fool me with that “development” narrative. Please don’t even try to. I have seen the “development” of your leader, I know the definition of “development” of your political colleagues. And I know they know nothing about it.

You newfound leader has time and again categorically put “Bongo Vongo Hobena”. And you want us to believe that our identity issue will be solved without bifurcating the state??
Sir, are you the same Amar Singh Rai who taught us?? Do you even remember what your political thought, ideology and principle was?

Sir, a very important question to you. You were a political pundit and I do hope your Political anticipation capacity hasn’t eroded yet. Have you ever thought what the impression, effect of the so called Caste based “Development Boards” will be in the  coming census of 2021 when all will be asked to write their language based on their caste? Don’t you think the Nepali Language speaking (as per census) people will be reduced to a minority? And won't that lead to the removal of our language from 8th schedule of Indian Constitution? And won't that led to dilution and loss of our only constitutional guarantee? Now tell me who initiated such move to divide us and demean us and dilute our identity? Isn’t she the same person who you want us to believe will work for our identity?? 

Sir, I am disappointed. You have betrayed me. I cannot wish you the best in this election. Because you have joined the camp that enjoys killing us, have snatched our rights, burned our homes, threatens to rape our mothers and sisters. In the last 2 elections of yours, I supported you. Voted for you. Campaigned for you. But I am sorry sir, this election I will vote for my community. I will vote to safeguard my Jaati from enemies outside and within.
I don’t know who will win but I hope you don’t.

Thanking you.
A disappointed student of yours.

GTA please speak against the entry of the Rohingas in the hills

7:26 PM

(An open letter to the B.O.A , Gorkhaland Territorial Administration by Prashant Tamang)

To,
Mr Binay Tamang (Chairman)
Mr Anit Thapa (Vice Chairman)
Mr Sanchabir Subba (Executive member)

This is to bring to your knowledge the entry of the Rohingas in the hills today which to us seems to be a part of a very futuristic political move by the Govt of West Bengal to over rule our own place by creating a different majority other than that of ours making it easy to paralyse our demand of a separate state and slowly bring an end to the demand of Gorkhaland forever . It is now your duty as that B.O.A of G.T.A to look forward to this serious issue and act likewise to the matter in favour and support of the betterment of the hills . The videos of the entry of the Rohingas now going viral in social media is strong enough to prove the above stated issue and the danger over our place and people.

If you all are compelled by any crimes of the past or any corruption of the past that still hold you all dumb to react to this serious issue than it would be best of you to resign from the B.O.A of the G.T.A so that making it clear for the people of the hills to speak out for Justice ourselves . Please don't just keep your mind set to developments , contracts , contractors and other monetary issues because now your reign in the hills has slowly started to result in the collapse of the demand of the people of the hills that is Gorkhaland which must be crystal clear to you all but you still staying dumb to this serious issue seems to be your compulsion in some reason based upon you which is a direct hamper to our place and people.

We all have no choice but to hope for the best for our people and place from your side that is the B.O.A of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration so we request and expect you to urgently react to the matter in the best way possible for the betterment of the hills and the people living here.

On behalf of the people .

( *Please SHARE to help to alert everyone as much as possible )

Gorkha Students JNU Call Out Flipkart’s Racist Ad In Strongly Worded Open Letter

9:16 PM

JNU’s Gorkha Students Call Out Flipkart’s Racist Ad In Strongly Worded Open Letter


To,
Flipkart

Dear Binny,
First of all, let us clarify that you are neither hallucinating nor in your dreams. It must be deeply disturbing and astonishing for you to reconcile with this fact that you are reading a letter written by a ‘bahadur’.

Shaabji, we are deeply sorry for not living up to your company’s expectations! We are sorry for this audacity that you may have never expected to see. But shaabji, we must shake you up from your mistaken notions about the Gorkha community.

Even the spirit and tone of your recent clarification letter does not reflect an iota of remorse and self-reflection.

We are hurt but, paradoxically, we are very thankful to your company for this unexpected opportunity to talk about the long history of denial of our political rights and the daily harassment and humiliation which we face on account of our racial identity wherever we go.

You have surely realised by now that your insensitivity and crass competition in the rat race has opened a Pandora’s Box. We argue with hard facts and not just rhetoric. In this letter, we shall be revisiting our political history and our present reality. We shall talk about our economy, freedom, struggle, rights, dignity and individuality. We shall also touch upon ethics (something you seem to be grossly lacking). We hope that you and your employees (including the advertisement team you consulted) are endowed with sufficient mental faculties to be able to follow our arguments in this letter and connect them competently enough to comprehend why Flipkart is guilty of vilifying the Gorkha identity.

The Gorkha community has suffered centuries of exploitation under the British colonial regime. While India celebrated its ‘independence’ in 1947, the Gorkhas are still battling for their rights and dignity. We have survived over sixty years of socio-economic and political subjugation under West Bengal’s blatant policy of internal colonialism facilitated by local stooges. The fetters that curb our right to self-determination are getting stronger by the day. Consequently, the region and community is ravaged by high unemployment, abject poverty and distress out- migration. While a handful of the privileged few always had access to quality education and opportunities to climb further up in the class hierarchy, for the larger majority in our community, formal education has been only recently accessible. A substantial percentage of our people are engaged in back-breaking work day and night to produce the world’s most expensive tea (Darjeeling tea). For the plantation workers, the reward for filling the coffers of tea garden owners and the government has been only a life plagued by poverty, morbidity and a slow but painful death due to starvation. The screams of suffering and death has been silenced and stifled by the continued indifference of a callous government and corporate houses that display the least regard for basic human rights of workers. Any intervention so far has been half-hearted and reflects charity and sympathy rather than delivery of rights and entitlements.

No industrial worker in the history of independent India may have suffered this plight. Adding insult to injury, we are casually and, many a times, deliberately called ‘foreigners’ by the so called ‘authentic Indians’ of our country. The starkest irony being that we are the same community which has time and again received showers of praises for bravery in armed forces by the Indian political establishments. We are again the same community that has been butchered by the same political establishment using paramilitary forces when trying to assert our basic political right to self determination i.e. separate state of Gorkhaland in 1986. Numerous real and fake quotes (from field Marshal Manekshaw, to Hitler and even Osama Bin Laden) valorising the bravery of the community in fighting battles has actually strengthened the narrative of Gorkhas as a martial race. Such a widely celebrated reductionist narrative of Gorkhas as a martial race has been internalised by the community itself without a critical reflection on how it dehumanises the community and encourages more racial stereotyping of the entire Gorkhas.

It is true that many men from our community are employed as security guards but there is nothing to be ashamed of this. We are not the only community in that profession. What matters is that we don’t judge any form of labour (if not forced) by its remuneration or its location on the workplace hierarchy. We leave such prejudiced and judgemental tasks to appropriate hands like yours. Only parasite classes, whose existence depend on sucking the fruits of others’ labour, fail to comprehend the dignity and importance of any form of work.

Apart from disregard for dignity of labour, a larger wrong which is very problematic is to divide and reproduce an entire community in the binary of either security guards or as blood thirsty ‘hyper brave’ soldiers. This kind of representation strengthens the already existing racial stereotypes among the larger population which draws its knowledge (limited) of other communities through popular culture propagated by media. We hope you can fathom the gravity of the damage that your advertisement has thus made by the stereotypical depiction of the Gorkha community as security guards. After watching such commercials and movies (like “Appna Sapna Money Money”), your sons and daughters are at the risk of not only imbibing such stereotypical views but also letting their interactions with Gorkhas in general be influenced by prejudice and bias encouraged by people like you.

Mr. Binny, by generalising such constructed attributes, do you not feel guilty of stifling free thinking, of polluting young minds and of depriving Gorkhas their freedom to express their individual identities and personal attributes that is so unique to each. Such vile attempts are condemnable in the strongest words. As the company head, it is your responsibility to avoid such actions, whether accidental or deliberate.

We do not intend to lecture you on values, but it is worthwhile to reflect upon the so called ‘core values’ upon which you claim Flipkart is based. Not forgetting that the values have been put in a framework to drive the mad rush of accumulation of wealth by a few elitists like you. Nonetheless, should we for a moment reflect upon the value of ‘customer obsession’ then, the said advertisement shows that your firm is far from being obsessed to cater to the needs of the Gorkha community. Instead, it has only alienated and humiliated us. Isn’t it ironic that the value of ‘ownership’ that you claim to uphold has blatantly disowned the contributions of Gorkhas in diverse fields of human endeavor? The ‘impact’ of the value has been such that we have been compelled to write this letter to you. While the value of ‘honesty’ has missed the prefix of –dis-assuming that you are not that ignorant of the fragmentation and ruptures that racism creates on the canvas of societies. Communication has indeed created the impact you wanted, not of content as you wished but the psychological attitude that you harbor. ‘Innovation’ on the other hand has been all but to reinforce the stereotypical mindset of the majoritarian ethos- concretised by the same acts that we condemn in this letter.

Knowing that sole purpose of the existence of your company, for that matter any company, is to amass profit at any cost, we are not in any form of illusion that you are here to address a pressing social issue which is tearing apart the social fabric of Indian society. After all, 200 years of colonial rule and the thousands of painful deaths due to the Bhopal Gas tragedy was a gift from a corporation like yours. Mr. Binny, it is no surprise that a corporation like yours thrives on the consumerism which disregards the very fabric that you feed upon. Far from a symbiotic one, with increasing fortunes, the dynamics of relationships takes a form of a parasitic one, that not only makes the poor poorer but even robs away the basic ‘dignity’ of people. The recent advertisement speaks volumes in this context.

Whenever our fellow Indians are abused and attacked on racial ground in foreign countries like Australia or USA, we were in deep pain and anguish and had pledged to fight against such racial stereotypes. We strongly believe that you and your company employees who probably often land in foreign soil, feel the same. Even after that we fail to comprehend why your company chose to promote such racial stereotypes of a certain community of our own country? Or is it that your principle to fight against racism is limited only beyond our borders where the elite likes of you are more likely to be potential victims? For within India, you are widely recognised as the ‘authentic and rightful sons of the soil’!

Just like a brother who kills his sister in the name of protecting a family’s ‘honour’ or an upper caste feudal lord who chops the hands of Dalit children for touching his field crops and feels no remorse; in your mad profit campaign, you too have failed to comprehend the intensity of injustice you have done by virtue of not being born in a certain ethno–linguistic community. You fail to comprehend the pain and humiliation in bearing the brunt of racial stereotypes as a daily reality.

At last one humble request from our side – expand and grow as much as you can and trade in various goods and services but do not try to thrive in your business by trading another community’s dignity. Your company cannot hold long if you try to flourish by vilifying another community’s dignity and identity.

Thank You.

Via youthkiawaaz

Dear Racist "Flifkart" STOP CALLING US "CHOWKIDARS"

11:43 AM
Open Letter to Flipkart in refrence to Ad film made by Flipkart 

Writes Bandana Rai

Dear Racist Flipfart Ops sorry "Flifkart!!!!!!! "STOP CALLING US CHOWKIDARS"
This is in connection with your recent ad wherein you in your blinded-by-lust quest for earning more, have 'over glorified' a great community which is known and respected equally worldwide for their simplicity, sincerity and bravery.

No wonder you made an excellent ad film which may be liked by many viewers who inherits your sick mentality towards my community which has made many supreme sacrifices to safeguard the future of ungrateful people like you of a great nation and might have increased your sale as well. But the gesture used in it has really hurted the sentiments of the Gorkhas (a Nepali/Gorkhali speaking people) spread across the world. Your yield at the expense of the dignity of this great community is not acceptable.



It is with a deep sense of humiliation that I have to say that your little frolicking can be a national shame. One should not take some one for granted just because the latter does not say a thing. So, stop taking us for granted.

Mr Flifkart, it seems like you have been living in a ghetto through out your entire not-so- peaceful-though life since you are totally ignorant about the world famous warriors - The Gorkhas. Or are you just trying magnify yourself as the smartest man on Planet Earth? And to be honest, I will not be amused if your reply is the second one. You very well know who the Gorkhas are. Don't you? But you either prefer to ignore or you really are a moron. To get you tuned in let me refresh your blunt memory.

The Gorkhas, the bravest of the Brave are famously known for their simplicity, sincerity and bravery world over.

"If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha." Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Indian Chief of Army Staff (8 June 1969 - 15 January 1973) once famously said.
The Gorkha units are one of the most decorated outfits in the Indian Army not because of making mockery of one's simplicity but of their sheer courage. Gorkhas have played an important role in all the theatres of war and have won several battle honours and gallantry awards in Uri sector in 1947-48, Ladakh in 1962, Jammu and Kashmir in 1965 and 1971 and in Kargil in 1999. They were also a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and even today are posted in the toughest frontier of the country. They have been guarding the frontiers of the nation.

The Gorkha Regiments have been awarded 3 Param Vir Chakras, 33 Maha Vir Chakras, and 84 Vir Chakras during operations. "Better to die than be a coward" is the motto of the world-famous Nepali Gurkha soldiers who are an integral part of the Indian Army.Gorkhas carry into battle their traditional weapon - an 18-inch long curved knife known as the Khukri. It is said that in the past, once a kukri was drawn out in battle, it had to "taste blood" If not, its owner had to cut himself before returning it to its sheath. Gorkhas are one of the most feared soldiers in the world and have won the respects of even their enemies. There are 7 Gorkha regiments divided into 40 battalions in Indian Army with around 70000 plus strength. Also, Paramilitary forces like, the Assam Rifles which has 46 battalions with approximately 25000 plus gorkhas as part of her fighting force are still serving with this elit paramilitary force till date. Likewise, Para commando units or most of the armed forces have a sizeable number of gorkhas in their. Overall more or less 150000 plus brave gorkhas are serving with armed forces not because they don't have anything to eat but because of simple fact that combat and loyalty are the inherent ingredients in their blood. Gorkhas were integrated with the Indian Armed Forces on April 24, 1815. Over the period of time, they have served in all theatres of war and won many military decorations. Here are some facts about the most respected regiment of the Indian Army.

The current Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh Suhag is also from the Gorkha Rifles. He was commissioned in 4/5 GR in 1974. And according to the 5th Gorkha Rifles tradition, one has to wear his headgear with the strap below the lower lip. Other Gorkha units wear the chin strap below the jaw which the General visibly seems to follow as an indication of respect for the regiment's ethos. The war cry of the Gorkha Regiments is ‘Jai Maha Kali, Aayo Gorkhali’ which he translated means 'Hail Goddess Kali, The Gorkhas Are Here.'

The latest ad film of yours has degraded our moral values, sense of self-respect and dignity, disrespected gorkha soldiers and martyrs alike leaving our bravehearts feeling nothing more than "CHAWKIDARS" which is very derogatory and wrong. Gorkhas will never accept this racial slur and will object.

Apropos, I, Bandana Rai, a very proud GORKHALI DAUGHTER OF HINDUSTAN and author of Gorkhas - The Warrior Race have as a sign of protest against your overtures, have decided to withdraw the sale of my book from the flipkart and I appeal the right thinking people of the country to follow suit.


An Open Letter to Narendra Modi Sir From an Honest Assamese

11:29 AM
Writes LEENA HAZARIKA

I have always been a proud civilian of India, but, I am overwhelmingly humiliated to see all the agony some other natives of Assam are going through every year. This is something which I have been thinking from quite some time now. I needed to ask you as to how much do you bother about Assam? We all appreciate the incessant debates about the central government overlooking us and our essentials, but, does the unfortunate people really sense any modifications through these discussions between government and other authorities or are they just regarded as mere tools to another misleading melodrama of yours? Don’t you think it is high time we act more than we discuss about the ongoing complications? We, the deprived people of Assam, don’t worry about your bill and budgets, because, we seldom get time to protect ourselves from the flood which ruins our crops, land and home. We fear about our future, our children starving and the constant horror of death. We panic for our life.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority report, the current flood has destroyed around 1.37 lakh hectare of crops this year making over 1.27 lakh people homeless across 19 districts. More than 10 people died till date. We are not even counting the past years yet. Areas like Morigaon, Lakhimpur, Kaziranga, Dhemaji, etc are facing the major breaches of the river Brahmaputra. You, sir talking about digital India, what modern technology do you think, is preferable to save us from the calamity every year? Does this 1.27 lakh people seem nothing to you? We don’t need your statistics as to how much fund are you sending to help us. We want you to come and see as to how much of those funds are being actually used for us.
Let’s, for a second ignore the human beings, but, what about the natural resources and wildlife in Kaziranga?  We people have shelters to run away from but what about those animals who die every year due to our negligence and lack of protection. Does providing wildlife rehabilitation and reservation centres are enough to protect them?
Assam Flood
Assam Flood
Sir, for you, it might not be a natural calamity but for the poor farmers, who goes hungry day and night to get their annual crops, it surely is a natural disaster. For the children who cannot visit their school for education, it is a natural calamity. For the families who lost their loved ones, it is a natural calamity. For the animals who can’t voice their pain, it is a natural calamity. For the family who loses their whole future in just one day, it is a natural calamity. For the people who see their own houses being taken away by flood, it is a natural calamity.

It is easier for us, who are fortunate enough to live a prosperous life, to comment that flood happens all the time. But, those people are going through much more than that. We understand, it is wrong to comment as to why Chennai, Mumbai, etc. gets help and media coverage as all human beings are equal in the eye of law. But, Article 21 of the Indian constitution gives right to life for everyone including the poor inhabitants of Assam too. So, why don’t you prove to us this time that your Government doesn’t neglect us as we feel so. If, that’s too much we are asking for then you are failing us as the representative of the people.

             

Open Letter to Pawan Chamling Manipur for his statement about Indian Gorkhas

8:10 AM
Writes Prateet Pradhan

Open Letter to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling by Prateet Pradhan on behalf of the Gorkhas in Manipur for his statement about Indian Gorkhas.

Sir Chamling, you are an lone Gorkha CM in India and for that everyone used to be proud of you. Its democracy and you kept your words. But please let me keep my words too. Indian Gorkhas as told by you are all former soldier of Indian Army who later settled here. But i think its not the fact. Their are various Gorkhas dominated regions in India  which came to the Union of india through various historical events(From the than Nepalese Kingdom like Parts of Uttrakhand and also Sikkim through the Treaty Of Sagauli 1816). I am from Manipur and i called myself Manipuri and Gorkhali at a same time. Also, in my whole life i have not come across the term "So Called Gorkhas".  

We may not be majority in our States but one thing is clear and that even our vote matters a lot. We are also good enough to elect our own representative. Their are various Constituencies in India (like Assembly Constituencies of Digboi, Margheritha, Sadiya, Tezpur etc in Assam, Kangpokpi and Sekmei AC of Manipur to mention a few apart from those within GTA) where the votes of Gorkhas matters a lot to decide the faith of an Representative. Even the recent election results of West Bengal and Assam gave us an example by electing 5 Gorkha MLAs. Still we are being called as minorities and the unity we sought are explained as an outcome of our Minority Status.




Open letter to Mamata Banerjee from Gorkha Student JNU

9:48 PM
Open letter to CM of west Bengal on the issue of continuous denial of justice to women student of Sikkim from Santineketan from Gorkha Student JNU.

To
Ms. Mamata Banerjee,
Chief Minister of West Bengal
Nabana, Kolkata-
                                                                                                    Date: 29/09/2015
Dear Ms. Mamata,
We are writing you this letter with utter despair and disgust towards the indifference which is being shown by the Bengal government in the case of a heinous crime committed in Shantineketan in August last year. May we remind you that justice remains due in the case of a female student of Darjeeling who was sexually harassed, stripped and blackmailed for two months by their seniors of the ‘esteemed’ University. After fighting against all odds, she with the help of her parents had managed to lodge a complaint against the perpetrators to seek justice from your administration.  But even after going through the painful process of seeking justice for one long year, her cry for justice has fallen on deaf ears. The gross display of inaction and apathy by the administration and a sense of utter hopelessness of the delivery of justice has compelled her father to announce that he will commit suicide in full public view in 9 October, 2015. A man who has been compelled to take up a fight to bring the perpetrators of crime to justice, is now far from seeing the light of justice, fairness and equality. How could a crime so heinous, in a place so ‘revered’ go unnoticed? How could the state allow the balance of justice to be so heavily tilted against the girl and her quest for gender justice? The very declaration of this person to commit suicide is a hard slap on the ethos of gender justice and a disgusting reminiscent of failure of your government on this account.

This young girl who hails from Darjeeling was sexually assaulted and blackmailed by her seniors continuously for two months at VisvaBharati University in Shantiniketan, West Bengal. This grave incident came to light only after the girl’s father came to the University to file a complaint. The girl who had just recently joined Kala Bhawan as a first year student according to the complaint made by the father was forcefully stripped by three of her seniors who also took pictures and made videos of this heinous act. These men then used it to blackmail the girl and sexually molest her, repeatedly! They even brought one of their friends from outside the university to join them in this horrendous act.

Sadly, the cries of the girl who was away from her home, her parents, her friends and her place begging the perpetrators to stop and let her go went unheard. What she got instead was beatings and physical torture when she dared to raise her voice. Unable to endure this horror she became delirious and wanted to end her life. Very soon she found herself in a hospital because of which her parents eventually came to know of their daughter’s plight.

But what did the University do as their duty and responsibility?
The University authorities tried to brush the matter under the carpet and even discouraged the father to file a police complaint. Adding insult to injury, the University authorities mockingly told the father that as her daughter clothes were torn off they would get her new pair of clothes and that he should stop complaining. Such impudence, recklessness, lack of empathy as an institution for the aggrieved girl who herself is a student and against whom such a dastardly crime has been  committed that too within the confines of the campus is indeed very shocking and repulsive to say the least.  As such it was only after continuous student protest within the University and in different college campuses including this one (JNU) that some kind of police action followed. However, the three seniors who were arrested were out on bail soon enough and the fourth perpetrator shockingly is yet to be apprehended. The police have remarkably failed to make a proper investigation into the matter even with all the proof provided by the girl and her father. It is to be noted that in cases like this, the burden of proof lies not with the complainant (i.e. the girl) but with the perpetrators of crime (the sexual assaulters). It has been a year since the horrendous incident and three of the accused students belonging to the University still roam scot free and unabashedly attend their classes as if nothing has happened. One perpetrator is still to be identified, even after a year! Is this the new model of gender justice which West Bengal wants to uphold and propagate?

So what happened to the girl?
The girl had to leave the University as her assaulters roamed freely. Her physical scars may have gone but the psychological scars of the horrifying assault remains unhealed and it festers without hope. It eats into her heart, her mind, her soul everyday... The ghastly experience has ruthlessly trampled upon the young girl’s aspirations, dreams and ambition. Very essence of her life is slowly but surely being snuffed out from her and so also that of her parents. Her father now after a year of taking up the proverbial cudgel to fight for justice due to her daughter which he believed is applicable for everyone irrespective of caste, creed, sex, class, language and ethnicity, seems distant every day. Alas! Bengal, has failed him.

The father is a broken man now. He sees no ray of hope for his daughter. Unable to bear the sufferings of his daughter, he has been pushed to such desperation that he now wants to end his life. He has recently come out stating if nothing is done to move the case ahead he will commit suicide on 9th of October.    

Visvabharati University and the West Bengal Government must explain why it has not taken stringent action against the perpetrators? Why has it continued to provide sanctuary to the perpetrators of the shameful incident of ragging, blackmailing and sexual assault and molestation of young girl? We beseech you to hear the cries of the brutalized girl and her parents. Tolerating the treating of women, who have been fighting for justice, in such a dehumanising manner, certainly cannot be the essence of your party’s slogan ‘Maa, Maati, Manush’.

It is with hope for prompt and decisive action to bring the perpetrators to justice and provide solace and closure to the girl and her family that we write to you. It is only fitting for us to expect stringent steps on your part and that you uphold gender justice. If at all, this is too much to ask for.
Sd /

Gorkha Students
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi- 110067




 
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