By IANS,
Bangalore : Social groups are bracing up to celebrate the International Woman’s Day March 8 with gusto in India’s IT hub despite a spate of attacks on women in the guise of moral policing and eve-teasing.
Asserting the spirit of womanhood and vowing to rid the city of crime against women, the groups will celebrate the day with a slew of programmes.
In the run-up to the day, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) – Communication for Development and Learning – is staging a theatrical play “Sita’s Daughters” Friday to highlight the strength of Indian women, including those who fought odds to make their life meaningful and successful.
Renowned dancer and choreographer Mallika Sarabhai will direct the play at the violin-shaped Chowdaiah memorial hall in the city’s northern suburb overlooking the serene Sankey lake.
“Recent attacks on women in Bangalore by anti-social elements and moral policing brigades have blotted the safe and peaceful image of the garden city. Through the play, we will highlight that women are brave, strong and capable of achieving success,” woman rights’ group (mahila samakhya) director Suchithra Vedant told IANS Thursday.
Five cases of physical and verbal attacks by motorcycle borne men on women attired in Western outfits were reported in this cosmopolitan city during the last 10 days.
“The play is based on real incidents faced my women from across the social strata. The characters depict the raw power and strength of women who defied male diktats and subjugation,” Vedant said.
The women’s group has been working over the last two decades to empower women, while the NGO works for their socio-economic uplift.
Other groups have lined up several events to mark women’s day to celebrate their achievements in social, political and economic areas.
Another social group — Fearless Karnataka/Nirbhaya Karnataka (FKNK), working for the safety and security of women — is organising a special walk in several areas Sunday night.
Christened “Take Back the Night Walk”, it is an attempt to reclaim women’s right to be safe and secure anywhere in the state during nights.
FKNK was formed recently to garner citizen support to check harassment of women in public places. The group has petitioned the city police to provide safety to women for moving freely and without fearing trouble or attack by eve-teasers, hooligans or right-wing activists indulging in moral policing.
“Celebrating woman’s day is not enough. We have to change the system to make women safe in the society,” said FKNK founder-member B.N. Jagadeesh.
Sri Jain Swethambar Terapanth Mahila Mandal will also hold a women’s awareness jatha (rally) through the city’s thoroughfares voicing protests over the growing incidents of female foeticide across the country.