Various groups from across Gujarat under the aegis of Forum of Concerned Citizens For Naliya Incident hit out at the state government on Tuesday for what they termed as its “casual” approach towards rape cases and atrocities on women.
More than 75 representatives resolved that the state government stopped the farce of a Commission to probe into Naliya incident.
Last year, a woman from Naliya was repeatedly gang-raped for over months by several men, many having connections with the ruling BJP. They have been suspended from the party. The woman had also claimed that 35 women were subjected to sexual exploitation by in all 65 culprits.
On behalf of the Forum, Meenakshi Joshi said that while they had demanded that the “sex racket” be probed, the terms of reference of the Shah Commission only mentions about the Naliya incident. Joshi alleged that the terms of reference of the Commission have not been widely publicized and it was with great difficulty they could get their hands on the copy.
Joshi said that they are perplexed over the fact that advertisements, accusing the victim and branding her wrong, were being carried in newspapers of Kutch.
The convention held Saturday also demanded immediate action in connection with a case of rape and killing of a woman from Mandvi village of Gariyadhar taluka of Bhavnagar district. The woman was killed on December 1, 2016.
Joshi said that despite so many representations, culprits were not arrested. In this case, even the witness committed suicide. Relatives of the witness said that he was pressurised to commit suicide.
Representatives from Mandvi village said that people were living under fear. Nitin Ghelani, a social worker, supporting the victim and witness' family, told THE WEEK that many people have also left the village due to fear.
Mandvi falls in Bhavnagar assembly constituency represented by state BJP president Jitu Vaghani.
The participants said that it was improper to say that women were safe in Gujarat.
