Girls resort to Gandhigiri against eve teasers
Accompanied by faculty and members of Center for Education of Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CEHRRA), the girls on Saturday morning were 'armed' with roses and placards to deter encroachers who set up a chor bazaar (flea market) on the pavement and the mischief makers who gather there.
NAGPUR: To deal with the menace of eve teasing by both footpath vendors and anti-socials gathered there, students of Tata Parsi Girls High school decided to resort to Gandhigiri as their last option. Accompanied by faculty and members of Center for Education of Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CEHRRA), the girls on Saturday morning were 'armed' with roses and placards to deter encroachers who set up a chor bazaar (flea market) on the pavement and the mischief makers who gather there. However with considerable police presence and advance notice of the planned Gandhigiri event, all street vendors abstained from setting up shop at least for today.
Shanoor Mirza, principal of Tata Parsi Girls High School said "The vendors opposite the school pose a security problem for our girls. Lewd comments are passed or many times people standing there stare at these kids which is an horrible ordeal." When the school's managing trustee Thrity Patel was informed about this predicament, she decided to deal with it head on. Through the social organization CEHRRA, of which she is also the president, Patel planned a Gandhi-style awareness campaign to apprise all stakeholders of the ordeal the young school girls were facing.
Patel said, "Gandhigiri was the only thing we could do as all other options had been exhausted. We complained to NMC and they take action against vendors but within a few days it's all back to square one. Same thing with cops. Though the police always responds to us but the moment they go, the nuisance makers are back." She added that there have been instances where the anti-social elements have moved beyond eve teasing. "We have been informed about cases where these girls have been molested and inappropriately touched. This is sickening and we are praying that authorities now take some strong action," said Patel.
Around a hundred students, along with secretary of CEHRRA Reuben Ray held placards with "Don't Stare at us", "Beti Bacchao Beti Padaao" etc written on them. TOI tried reaching out to city police commissioner BK Upadhyay for a statement, but he did not respond to calls.
Shanoor Mirza, principal of Tata Parsi Girls High School said "The vendors opposite the school pose a security problem for our girls. Lewd comments are passed or many times people standing there stare at these kids which is an horrible ordeal." When the school's managing trustee Thrity Patel was informed about this predicament, she decided to deal with it head on. Through the social organization CEHRRA, of which she is also the president, Patel planned a Gandhi-style awareness campaign to apprise all stakeholders of the ordeal the young school girls were facing.
Patel said, "Gandhigiri was the only thing we could do as all other options had been exhausted. We complained to NMC and they take action against vendors but within a few days it's all back to square one. Same thing with cops. Though the police always responds to us but the moment they go, the nuisance makers are back." She added that there have been instances where the anti-social elements have moved beyond eve teasing. "We have been informed about cases where these girls have been molested and inappropriately touched. This is sickening and we are praying that authorities now take some strong action," said Patel.
Around a hundred students, along with secretary of CEHRRA Reuben Ray held placards with "Don't Stare at us", "Beti Bacchao Beti Padaao" etc written on them. TOI tried reaching out to city police commissioner BK Upadhyay for a statement, but he did not respond to calls.
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