“If women in Delhi are not getting any protection from their own police force in the city, then they should call their brothers, the members of the Aam Aadmi Party whenever they are need of security,” said Gopal Rai, AAP member, giving a helpline number for the 100 protestors gathered at Jantar Mantar on Friday. This was one of the many demonstrations being staged across the city protesting against the gangrape of a 23 year old woman earlier this week. The protestors carried out a candle light vigil to India Gate after the demonstration outside Jantar Mantar.

With the crowd slowly gaining numbers as the demonstration picked up pace, the protest by the members of the Aam Aadmi Party made their demand to the government clear. In the words of the national convenor of the party, Arvind Kejriwal, AAP demanded that cases of sexual assault and violence be addressed and the accused punished within a maximum of two months. “Five fast track courts are not enough to address the number of cases that pour in, and it’s almost like the government is giving a lollypop in the hands of the public by making five fast track courts,” said Arvind. “They should be ready to make as many courts as needed to be able to address these issues with urgency,” he added.

Tears shed in the Rajya Sabha during the discussion of the gangrape case was viewed critically by all those present who felt that rather than crying, action should have been taken that day. “Jaya Bachhan should have also cried when Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav gave tickets to people who have charges of rape and murder on them,” said Kejriwal.

Stating the fact that one woman is raped in every 22 minutes in this country, Shazia Ilmi, the female face of the party during the demonstration said, “Women in this country need a freedom from fear.” Highlighting the inconvenience women face in approaching police authorities, Ilmi pushed for the need of a quick and stringent legal system that was easy to access and uncomplicated for women to access.

Experiences shared by a number of women from around Delhi added strength to Ilmi’s accusation that the police forces were hard to approach and work with. A woman from Shalimar who did not wish to be identified said, “My daughter was raped two years ago by a goon from the locality but till today we just walk in and out of stations. My son was put into prison when he questioned why the injustice my daughter faced was not being looked into by the police.” “The police are not for the people,” said the mother, teary eyed.

A woman from Uttar Pradesh who had been attacked with acid four years ago and still bears the brunt of the scars on her face and hands shared, “There needs to be a law that punishes people who do things like this to girls.” Stating that she has received no help from the government in tackling the situation, she added, “No amount of money can make things right. Only the strictest of punishments can help.”

A woman from Vijaynagar who was caught in a family conflict shared her experience with the Delhi police as a terrifying one. "The police officers misbehaved with me using foul language and ordering me to come to the police station with them. It took a lot of guts from my side and with the help of my brother, I managed to refuse to go. I fear to think what would have happened if I had gone that night," she said.

On hearing all these experiences that were shared, Prof Yogender Yadav, AAP member, opined, "We have laws in place but their implementation is not stringent. Girls in our country are cared to enter a police station. Can we make a law on how they would enter police stations?" 

Drawing attention to the case as an ‘issue of governance,’ former law minister Shanti Bhushan who sat beside his son and party member Prashant Bhushan said, “Political parties are only able to see what will help them get votes.” Adding that the extent of the crime did not matter, he said, “Even it was eve teasing that we see around us on the roads, the punishment should be stringent and quick.”

“Our demand does not end only with the government. We are here to also tell that we as a society should be more sensitized,” said Gopal Rai, sharing that both the system and the society must change. Kejriwal too highlighted this saying, “The young girl and her friend lay on the road for 20 minutes waiting for help to come but nothing was done.”