Anger on Delhi streets as gang-rape victim battles for life

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: The streets of Delhi witnessed an outpour of anger on Friday over the recent gang-rape of a para-medic student in a moving bus on Sunday night. With slogans like “we want justice, we want justice…,” hundreds of angry women activists and students marched up to the Raisina Hill this afternoon demanding that justice be delivered to the girl who is fighting for life at the Safdarjang Hospital. The protesters under the aegis of AIDWA, YWCA and JNUSU among others started their march from Rajpath and as they reached Vijay Chowk, they went past the barricades erected at the entrance of Raisina Hill and moved towards Rashtrapati Bhavan and South and North Blocks. Policemen said the crowd attempted to force its way into Rashtrapati Bhavan, but was diverted back to India Gate. A girl identified as Swati even managed to go near the Rashtrapati Bhavan but was escorted back. "They do nothing to protect us, and when we want justice, they say we need permission to enter the President`s house. Such a heinous crime has occurred, and they expect us to seek permission to protest," Swati said. The protesters then marched towards India Gate shouting slogans like “we want justice”, “we want safe Delhi for women” etc. The protesters were also demanding that strict steps be taken to ensure such horrific incidents never take place again. Another group, under the aegis of the newly launched Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been sitting in protest at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal demanded a strict law and fast-track courts to deal with rape cases. Two days ago in a similar protest, around 200 people had gathered near North Block. They dispersed only after Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde agreed to meet a delegation of JNUSU students. Meanwhile, hundreds of others protestors tried to block the traffic outside Safdarjang Hospital. The level of anger can be gauged from the fact that today is the fourth day of protests in the city, and it is not over. The level of brutality meted out to the girl – her mutilated intestine had to be removed – has left the nation shocked and worried. Protests are being staged in many parts of the country, with people coming out on the streets of cities like Jaipur, Jammu, Bangalore, Shimla, Thiruvanathapuram, Kolkata and Mumbai.