Activists of Left-affiliated organizations and citizens burnt the effigy of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Jantar Mantar on Monday over the injustice towards the family of the Dalit woman who died after allegedly being gang-raped in Hathras.
They also demanded Adityanath's resignation over the "mishandling" of the case.
Protesters wearing masks gathered at Jantar Mantar holding placards that read "End rape culture," "Dalit lives matter", "Educate Organise Agitate" among others.
The protesters from organizations like All India Students' Association, All India Progressive Woman's Association among others shouted slogans slamming the UP Police and demanding justice for the 19-year-old victim.
Advertisement
Sucheta De from the Left-affiliated All India Students' Association said, "We will be holding the protests every day till the Yogi Adityanath government is there. He has to resign. The state machinery is being used to intimidate the family of the victim."
A protester who did not want to be named said, "What's happened (in Hathras) is horrifying. It brings back memories of 2012. It took eight years for the family of Nirbhaya to get justice. What's happened in Unnao or in Hathras, it's injustice with the family.
"That young girl was brutally gang-raped and it was extremely inhumane how the UP police cremated her post-midnight? How long will this family have to wait to get justice? Justice delayed is justice denied."
Advertisement
A working professional with her teenage son and daughter, who was also among the protesters, said it is sheer anger that has forced her to join the protest amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"When will all this stop? They say women are empowered. If so, is this how they treat women? I have a daughter too. This could happen to anyone. It's been eight years since Nirbhaya and women are still unsafe in this country.
"It took us eight years to given justice to Nirbhaya. Has anything changed at all? We need to take stand for all the women and daughters of this country. This is unacceptable and needs to stop," said a protestor who did not wish to be named.
The Dalit woman was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras by four men on September 14.
After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to the Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday.
She was cremated in the early hours of Wednesday, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night.
Local police officers, however, had said the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family".
