Worli saw a charged candle march organised by Insaniyat Association along with Loktantra in honour of the Hyderabad rape case victim, Dr Priyanka Reddy. The march saw hundreds of volunteers, supporters and activists taking to the promenade on Worli seaface and signed pledges in support of stricter rape laws and punishment for perpetrators of rape crimes and sexual assault. Several march participants were visibly angry and for good reason – it was another horror incident only few years after the Nirbhaya case in 2012. Crimes against women have, unfortunately, become commonplace in the country. Arjun Meghe, president of Insaniyat Association, was quoted saying “ The fact that we hear and read about rape ever so often is disheartening. We aim to take a stand today and have an impact that will ensure our women are safer in the coming future”. Insaniyat previously has been a very active supporter of women, having organised multiple self-defence classes, social impact workshops and multiple protest marches in support of causes for women. It is encouraging to see our youth and its future leaders taking an active interest in causes that promote justice, equality and ultimately, security for all members of society.
Insaniyat Association was formed with the focus of empowering women and teaching them self defence in a series of martial arts classes called the Maa-Behen Initiative. It has consequently expanded its mandate to serve the region of Worli and participates in multiple development causes that include social development, economic empowerment and community engagement. Women’s safety has been a core issue since its inception and will continue to be – hopefully not for long as the country and the administration begin to take action against perpetrators of crimes against women.
