Ready to back people battling sexual assaults cases, says Sowjanya’s mother

MANGALURU: More than five years after 17-year-old Sowjanya was found murdered after being raped in Ujire near Dharmasthala, her mother Kusumavathi Gowda on Monday pledged her support to those fighting sexual assaults against women.
“Five years have gone by since my daughter was murdered. Ever since the day her body was found, I have left no stone unturned to give her justice. I fear no more. I will support anybody who seeks my involvement in movements against such crimes,” she declared before a huge gathering that assembled near the district deputy commissioner’s office to take out a candle light protest against the recent rapes and brutal murders of girl children across the country.

Sowjanya, then a 17-year-old student, had gone missing while walking towards her home from bus stand on October 9, 2012. Next day, her body was found at a secluded area near the bus stand. The investigators caught hold of a 40-year-old mentally challenged person and named him the accused.

Narendra Nayak, president, Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations, called on the mothers to teach their sons to respect women instead of imposing a dress code on their daughters. “Even saree and burkha-clad women get raped. A woman is not an object. Unfortunately, a few women politicians in the district too favour male chauvinists,” he said, without taking any name.

Religious associations slam rapes

Meanwhile, Catholic Sabha Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada Muslim League, too, have separately condemned the rapes and murders of girls in various parts of the country.

“The rape of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu Kashmir for days together and then her brutal murder, the rape of a dalit girl in Unnao and then her father’s death in police custody, the rape of a nine-year-old girl in Gujarat’s Surat – the native of the prime minister's state – for eight consecutive days followed by her murder are blots on Indianism. Every Indian needs to protest these incidents irrespective of any religious or political barriers,” a statement from the Catholic Sabha read.

The Dakshina Kannada district unit of Indian Union Muslim League chose to trade barbs on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged delay in speaking out against the rapes.