Indian demonstrators hold placards during a protest in support of rape victims following high profile cases in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh states, in Mumbai on April 15, 2018.
Indian police have made another arrest after the alleged rape of a teenager by a ruling party politician sparked protests across the country, federal investigators said April 15. / AFP PHOTO / PUNIT PARANJPE Mumbai : Hundreds of Mumbaikars turned up at Carter Road on Sunday to demand justice in the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. This was part of the impromptu pan-India protests with citizens rubbing shoulders with film celebs – Twinkle Khanna, Kalki Koechlin, Kiran Rao, Rajkumar Rao Aditi Rao and Vishal Dadlani. The rally was also attended by prominent citizens like Shyama Kulkarni of AGNI & Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali. Also in attendance were well-known faces like like RJ Malishka and Sameera Reddy amongst others. ‘‘Everyone should come. Whatever religion, gender or belief you belong to. For humanity, for justice,” Ekta Kapoor had tweeted in a call to fellow citizens.
‘‘What we need is better enforcement of our laws against all kinds of crimes against women. We have the laws, it is the enforcement that must be ensured” said Ankita Verma, co-founder, Zero Tolerance Campaign Against Sexual Harassment. Many youngsters spoke at the event about sexual harassment and how the recent cases affect them & what the solutions were.
Likewise, hundreds gathered at Parliament Street in New Delhi, where Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal is sitting in on a hunger strike. Simultaneously, parents took to the streets across the Vindhyas, in Trivandrum and Bangalore. Protests were also held Ajmer, Surat, Chandigarh and Bhopal.