Another week of victory and bewilderment passed by. From the much awaited Priya Ramani verdict to the Unnao horror, the last seven days saw social and political issues ruling social media.
A Delhi court on Wednesday acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in a criminal defamation case filed by former Union Minister MJ Akbar, underlining that a woman has the right to voice her grievance even after decades. The verdict was celebrated among women from different sectors.
Advocate Karuna Nundy hails this judgement as a significant victory.
The law is also a shield, not just a sword. This victory is significant because it preserves the right of women to speak and have published their true #MeToo accounts of sexual assault and harassment, if they choose not to go court. Many won't, until we strengthen the system. https://t.co/rC3mIBvC56
— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) February 17, 2021
However, journalist Swati Chaturvedi puts forward an important observation.
Please don’t lower the bar. Priya Ramani is a survivor, & Akbar a predator. We are celebrating a victim not going to jail. Akbar should be punished for what he did. That will be justice #MeToo
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) February 17, 2021
In a disturbing event, three Dalit girls were found unconscious in a field near their home in Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh late on Wednesday by family members. Two of them died soon after, and the third, who is 16 years old, is in critical condition in a Kanpur hospital.
Human rights lawyer and Dalit activist Kiruba Munuswamy spoke about how the Dalit community faces discrimination in general.
Three Dalit girls who went to get fodder poisoned with their hands and feet tied in #Unnao district. The 13 and 16 years old dead. The 17-year-old is critical and yet to be given intensive care.
These outrageous incidents are just news, debate topics and hashtags. Aren't they?— Kiruba Munusamy (@kirubamunusamy) February 18, 2021
India has been targeting young girls of late. Recently, 21-year old climate activist Disha Ravi was arrested by the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police from her home in North Bengaluru for allegedly sharing climate activist Greta Thunberg’s ‘toolkit’ related to the farmer’s protest against the Centre’s three farm laws.
Ravi’s arrest by Delhi Police has triggered widespread outrage among politicians, activists, and academics across the country who are demanding her immediate release.
This is what author Rupi Kaur and Congress’ National Convenor Ruchira Chaturvedi have to say on the young girl’s arrest.
india is targeting young women to silence dissent & muzzle free speech. 21yo climate activist #DishaRavi was arrested for tweeting a benign google doc about the #farmersprotest. bjp ministers have called for her “eradication” & their online army "jokes" about her custodial rape
— rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) February 16, 2021
Disgusting the levels to which BJP leaders and trolls are trying to vilify Disha Ravi & spread fake news against her. They must really fear our youth and anyone who has a voice. https://t.co/6Osp5TwomC
— Ruchira Chaturvedi (@RuchiraC) February 17, 2021
In other news, Uttarakhand witnessed a glacier disaster in Chamoli district early this month for which the rescue operations are still underway. The rescuers have so far recovered 61 bodies and 28 body parts from the sludge-choked Tapovan tunnel after the Nanda Devi glacier broke off, triggering massive flooding of the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers, and trapped several people inside it.
Writer Pragya Tiwari shares an important pro tip on this.
Pro tip - Instead of praying for #Uttarakhand every time disaster strikes, stand up against mindless and dangerous development projects in between disasters.
— Pragya Tiwari (@PragyaTiwari) February 7, 2021
(Edited by Amrita Ghosh)
