Women and children were among the worst affected, says AIDWA

NEW DELHI, October 9, 2013

“Women and children were among the worst-hit in the recent communal violence in Uttar Pradesh and the Bharatiya Janata Party and khap panchayat leaders here, we believe, instigated the violence,” noted members of a delegation from the All-India Democratic Womens’ Association (AIDWA). The Association on Tuesday released a report submitted by their fact-finding team that visited the area on October 5.

The AIDWA delegation comprised Sehba Farooqui (Delhi general secretary), Madhu Garg (UP president) and Seema Rana (Lucknow secretary). They visited some of the camps set up for riot-affected people in Muzaffarnagar and spoke to women who are victims of violence. Speaking at a conference here, AIDWA general secretary Sudha Sundararaman said: “The danger is great because women’s security is being used as a means of polarisation. Cases of sexual assault are being distorted so that riots can take place and anti-minority violence gets instigated.”

The fact-finding team’s report also noted that among the relief camps visited in Jogiakhera and Loyi, five rape cases were brought to the team’s notice wherein FIRs were registered in four cases. However, no statements were recorded, though it is mandatory for the filing of a charge sheet. The report also highlighted the issue of missing children where despite registered complaints by their parents no efforts seemed to have been made by the State administration to trace them.

Speaking in the presence of some of the families affected by the violence, Ms. Farooqui said: “In the rape cases, the police have the names of the accused but not a single person has been arrested till date. People who have been attacked are mostly poor/backward caste Muslims.”

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