Open Letter from Students and Alumni of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore — on Hathras Rape Case, 2020
4 October 2020
Open letter to
Home Minister, Government of India
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
You probably don’t know us, we are a body of 150 womxn, past and present students of Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru. We count among our numbers, role models such as Deepika Padukone, not only famous for her achievements in film, but a passionate advocate for mental health, Faye D’Souza, a journalist who has been instrumental in creating space for conversation and debate through her platforms, and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, an entrepreneur who is a paragon of India’s business world today. As you see, we play a major role in keeping India’s economic engine running.
We are shocked and enraged by the recent events in Hathras — 19 year olds should be studying to become working professionals. Yet our Dalit and Adivasi country-women live in fear of their lives — despite specific legislation being passed to protect these rights.
Are we to assume the crimes of upper caste men are sanctioned by our government?
As is already widely known, the facts of the case, mired with delays, negligence and official disdain have exposed the castiest nature of the state machinery and various public service institutions. Though the young woman was rushed to the police station in Chandpa on 14 September 2020, the officers prolonged the filing of the FIR. The medical treatment and related procedures at the JNMCH, Aligarh were also lax and only after eight days was the statement of the victim recorded and charges of gang rape were added to the case. The victim was moved to AIIMS, Delhi due to her deteriorating condition, and was later shifted to Safdarjung hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
In full view of the press and the entire nation, the UP police cremated her body against the consent and requests of her family. We are outraged at the police officers for ignoring her family’s wish to give her the dignified burial she deserved. We can’t begin to comprehend the trauma they are enduring. Further, the district administration imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in the village and confined the family, keeping the media out. The Additional General of Police (Law and Order) even released statements that the forensic science laboratory (FSL) report shows there was no rape at all due to absense of sperm in the vagina. Though there is a video testament recorded by the young woman stating that she was sexually assaulted and even naming the perpetrators, the state machinery continues to ignore these allegations. The medico-legal examination report (MLC) by JNMC, Aligarh shows the statements by the victim detailing “complete penetration of the vagina” and force. The imagination of rape propogated by the Additional General’s statements is highly condemnable as it is against established legal principle that absence of sperm is not conclusive evidence of non-occurance of rape.
The Special Investigation Team, in its preliminary report on 3 October, recommended a narco analysis and polygraphs test on the family of the victim, later in the day, the Chief Minister of the state recommended handing over the case to the CBI. These statements and actions, provide excuses and
only serve to strengthen patriarchal mindsets and the impunity that upper caste men, including Thakurs and Brahmins, enjoy.
Hathras is one among the many cases of caste-based sexual violence, assault and murder in recent months in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Besides such cases being reported in Pokhari (Gorapkhpur) and Dahgawan (Agra) in June and July, six cases of atrocity against Dalit women have been registered in Lakhimpur Kheri in the last 60 days. After the Hathras violence was brought to light, there has been another gang-rape and murder of a 22 year old Dalit woman committed by upper castes in Balrampur district. With most of these cases meeting the same fate, that of negligent investigation and inaction against the accused, members of the upper caste people have been allowed to retaliate against the reporting of cases with further brutality.
The caste relations in the village as documented now by a handful of media houses shows the dominance as well as strength in numbers that the Thakur community.
The delay in filing the FIR, the negligence in providing medical assistance and due legal process under the SC/ST PoA proves the casteist nature of treating the case by the state machinery.
The state backed impunity for the upper castes, while not unique to villages, or Hathras or even Uttar Pradesh, in this case has received national attention due to the brutality involved. It is distressing but pertinent to note that
many cases of caste atrocity do not receive similar attention, and many more go unreported due to upper caste power threatening to make examples out of Dalit lives.
We are tired of trying to understand who is India’s daughter and who isn’t.
SADDENED BUT ENRAGED, WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, EXTEND OUR SOLIDARITY TO ALL THOSE FIGHTING TO ANNIHILATE CASTE AND BRAHMANICAL PATRIARCHY, AND DEMAND:
1. A speedy trial to bring justice in the Hathras case through immediate conviction of perpetrators.
2. Strong action against the officials for mishandling the case, destroying evidence and continuing to harass the family of the victim.
3. The narco analysis and polygraphs tests ordered on the victim’s family to be stopped.
4. That the family be provided protection immediately.
Signatories
