By TCN News,
Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University Students Union (AMUSU) celebrated the International Women’s Day demanding justice for the victims of Kunan Poshpora mass rape, and a stern punishment for the culprits.
The programme was held on March 9 at the auditorium of Poly-technique College of AMU, a release said here.
Kehkeshan Khanam, the female cabinet member of AMUSU, introduced the subject of violence against women across India with special reference to violence in the conflict zones like Kashmir. “AMUSU is a platform for the voiceless women subjected to any sort of rights’ violations. On behalf of the 28,000 students at the AMU, on the platform of AMUSU, she called upon the Indian state to stand up to the international norms of war and conflict and stop infringement into the rights of common masses through laws such as AFSFA and provide justice to the victims of infamous mass rape in Kunan Poshpora Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion chief guest Dr Gautam Navlakha, an internationally acclaimed human rights activist and author, presented a detailed analysis of violence against women in Kashmir. He called it a national shame to commit rights’ violations in the name of conflict and then deny justice in war crimes against Kashmiris.
Quoting Kunan Poshpora incident, he said that deliberate attempts have been made “to suppress the popular demands of Kashmiris through black laws, tortures and using violence as a weapon.”
He asserted that sexual violence in Kashmir is not restricted to women only but men too have been subjected and gave examples as how forces have used rape as a weapon of war to punish, intimidate, coerce, humiliate and degrade women and men. He added that facts and figures have been manipulated in the mass rape of Kunan Poshpora and termed it as probably the single largest case of mass sexual violence. While concluding, he urged the scholars, journalists, academicians, civil societies to stand-up for every act of violence and crime and come and serve the humanity as torch bearers.
Syed Masoodul Hasan, AMUSU vice president condemned the gender violence in India and urged the community to open the debates on gender violence and asked government of India to look very deeply and sensitively on the pertained issues and take corrective measures, the release said.
Abdullah Azzam, AMUSU president, said that AMUSU extends full support to the women of Kunan Poshpora of Kashmir and said that AMUSU is fearless to organize events against human rights violations, no matter if perpetrated by the state itself.
He called Kunan Poshpora and AFSFA as black dots on the face of Indian democracy and said that no civilized society can accept the draconian laws and acts in the 21st century. He questioned the slogan, ‘Beti Bacho, Beti Padao’, while asking, what if state itself makes the women feel insecure and rape them, as in case of Kunan Poshpora, Kashmir?
He also presented a vote of thanks.
A documentary ‘Ocean of Tears’ based on the Kunan Poshpora mass rape, directed by Bilal Jan and produced by Rajiv Mehrota was also screened on the occasion and an appeal was made to stand firm for the demand for justice, the release added.