The AIDWA UP State Committee has been involved in the very very long-drawn out struggle for justice for a victim of gang rape who was only 12 at the time. Her parents were very poor rag pickers and the girl used to often participate in this work. She was abducted by 6 rich brats in a car near the Ashiana Colony in Lucknow and gang-raped, burned with cigarettes and tortured. The leader of the pack was Gaurav Shukla, the nephew of a prominent Samajawadi Party leader, Anna Shukla who has the reputation of being a ruthless don. The girl was taken to the hospital and the police were informed but before long, the Chairperson and members of the State Commission for Women, visited the hospital and gave instructions that no case was to be registered and that no one should be allowed to visit the girl or talk to her family. The case had been reported in the papers and AIDWA leader, Madhu Garg, along with the former VC Lucknow University, Rooprekha Verma, made sure that they met the girl and her family and had the FIR registered. This was in 2005. It has been a long and continuing battle since then. Gaurav Shukla took the plea that he was a minor at the time and produced various fraudulent documents. This has ensured his evasion of arrest till today. The others were arrested and two of them have died. Now it has conclusively been proved that Gaurav Shukla was a major at the time and we are hopeful that the Courts will ensure justice. We have also been regularly asking the UP State Government to render financial assistance to the victim. After our 16th June demonstration in Lucknow - on the issue of violence against women in the State - the CM had met me on the 17th and assured me that the first fast track court in the State would be inaugurated within a few months and that the State would announce a policy of compensation for victims of rape, acid attacks and other forms of violence. This was done the same evening. I also, once again, appealed to him to help the Ashiana case victim and he promised to do something. Yesterday. 10th July, the District Magistrate handed over a cheque of 10 lacs for the victim who is now an extremely determined young girl who wants nothing more than a good education. She says she would like to become a lawyer. AIDWA activists and leaders were present in our Lucknow office when I handed over the cheque to her. She could not believe that such a thing could happen. Her eyes were shining. I think she was already thinking of a future that she could look forward to. Many, many people have helped us with contributions which have made this long battle possible. We hope that will continue. The money received yesterday should be used to help the young girl to fulfill at least some of her dreams.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 17:07:15 +0000