New Delhi: Women students from several Delhi University colleges took out a march Friday on the issue of safety after the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park.
The march started around 3:30 pm and went on till late in the evening, according to a student.
Beginning at the gate of Kamala Nehru College, the march carried the message “Hum Auratein Azaad Hain” (we, the women, are free) and was open to women and gender minorities. A student said consultations on a “Charter of Demands for Delhi Citizens” would be held on Siri Fort Road, near Gargi College and Kamala Nehru College, after the march. Held under the slogan “Make Delhi Safe Again”, the protest raised concerns about crimes against women and the safety of women students in and around university campuses. Meanwhile, LSR Students’ Union said it had received regular updates on increased patrolling around the college, including in National Park and Vikram Vihar, as well as Pink Squad patrols. It said personnel stationed at Pink Booth and the college’s back gate were being monitored and briefed. Work was also under way to improve street lighting on the road behind the college and address specific spots students had flagged as unsafe, according to the union. The union said it would continue following up on students’ concerns and check whether the measures were visible and effective on the ground.
The students called for better street lighting and easier access to public transport, saying women should be able to travel to college or work and use public spaces without fear. They also opposed restrictions on women’s movement after dark, arguing that such curbs place the burden of safety on women themselves. Instead, they urged authorities to address unsafe conditions in public spaces and ensure accountability for violence against women. They also argued that surveillance and restrictions should not be treated as substitutes for wider safety measures. At North Campus, the Delhi University unit of Students’ Federation of India held a separate march from Arts Faculty. It asked students to report what had improved, what remained unchanged and whether they felt safer travelling to and from college. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad , Delhi also staged a demonstration outside the Delhi Police headquarters over growing concerns regarding the safety of women and girl students in the capital. ABVP activists expressed serious concern over incidents involving the students in various parts of Delhi and around university campuses. They demanded that Delhi Police take concrete, effective and preventive measures to ensure women’s safety.