“Have to live in fear, where is freedom for women?”

A street vendor on the streets of Delhi. | Photo credit: SAJJAD HUSSAIN

As a group of women marched through the dark streets of Delhi in the early hours of Independence Day, candles in their hands, Dattaa Roy, a resident of Chittaranjan Park, looked tired but determined to “take back the night”.

The march was part of a multi-day protest against the brutal rape and murder of a doctor student at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata last week.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep concern about the increasing violence against women in India in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort a few hours later, he failed to inspire confidence among many like Mrs Roy. “Yesterday it was Nirbhaya [the fearless]now abhaya, tomorrow it will be subhaya… but bhay (fear) still continues to threaten women's existence,” she said, referring to the pseudonyms given to victims of gang rape and murder, as victims of sexual assault are not allowed to give their names under Indian law. She added: “It does not matter if the prime minister or the chief minister says something. I have no faith in the entire system – government, police, politicians.”

Ms Roy is not alone in her agony. A group of doctors from the University College of Medical Sciences and the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital Resident Doctors Association said the Prime Minister's remarks on the issue had meant little to them.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said that crimes against women should be investigated speedily and those who commit such acts should be punished severely. “We feel that this was a general comment and means nothing to us. He also said that strict action should be taken… he should be the one to take that action,” a doctor said.

Neha, a member of the All India Students' Association, who was one of the organisers of the candlelight protest outside AIIMS, said, “It is not enough for the Prime Minister to mention the brutal incident. What about the Bilkis Bano rapists…” [BJP leader and former WFI chief] Bhushan Singh [accused of sexual harassment by women wrestlers] is supported by the Prime Minister's party [BJP]…her stance on women's rights to wear or not to wear clothes are all examples of this. If the Prime Minister has to mention women, he should address all of these issues.”

Others, however, felt that the mere fact that the Prime Minister mentioned ensuring women's safety was a big step in that direction. At the Red Fort, NCC cadet Rheanna Ghangas said: “It is necessary to acknowledge the growing concern regarding women's safety.”

The father of 'Nirbhaya', the physiotherapy intern who was raped and assaulted in a moving bus, said it has been 12 years since he lost his daughter but things have not changed much. “We are celebrating Independence Day and the Prime Minister is talking about crimes against women. But where is freedom for women? There was another brutal rape in Kolkata. Such incidents happen every day across the country. There is no freedom for the common man and women still have to live in fear.”