Mumbai: IIT Bombay alumni throw their weight behind wrestlers

Wrestler Sakshi Malik, with supporters, protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Pic/Twitter

Alumni of several prominent institutes, including IIT-Bombay, have written a strongly worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in solidarity with wrestlers who have been protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar since April. The letter, signed by 50-plus alumni, states that Modi's "silence on several concerning issues gives credence to the perception that women don't matter".

The letter reads, "In January 2023, it became public that many women wrestlers, including a minor, had been allegedly sexually harassed at the hands of the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, who is also a sitting Member of Parliament. These athletes had brought national and international glory to Indian sports. What followed is well known. Today the women continue to be in protest in the full glare of international media, and the alleged perpetrator of the crime remains free."

Shekhar Phatak, IIT-B alumnus

It further reads, "Your 100th episode of Mann ki Baat, aired on April 30, 2023, referred glowingly to the ‘Beti Padhao Beti Bachao' campaign. You also talked about the importance of "having a daughter in one's life". We sincerely appreciate this. However, what are we to tell our daughters? That their issues are convenient "jumlas" for electoral campaigns only? That justice will not be served if the perpetrators are politically powerful? That the victims will face vilification to save the accused? That their safety will continue to be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency?"

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The letter will also be sent to Rashtrapati Bhavan, with the aim to catch the attention of the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.

Apart from alumni of IIT-Bombay, the letter has been signed by those of the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Mumbai University, the University of Delhi, Bhopal University, IIM-Ahmedabad, Osmania University, Goa University, Andhra University, SBIM Pune and the University of Georgia, Athens (US).

Chandru Chawla, IIT-B alumnus

Accusing Modi of remaining silent on serious issues pertaining to the safety of Indian women, the letter states, "Are women second-class citizens of this country? It would certainly seem so, given the spate of crimes against women and the way the law and justice deal with them. The cases related to rapes in Hathras, Unnao are still fresh in memory. So is the glaring early release of rapists and murderers in the Bilkis Bano case.

Your continued silence gives credence to the perception that women don't matter. This further perpetuates the stranglehold of patriarchy and misogyny in our society, something that women must fight daily all through their lives, just to exist with dignity."

Calling this move their way of taking part in the ongoing protest, Chandru Chawla, an IIT-B alumnus of the 1987 batch, said, "This is a joint cause by a few alumni of IIT Bombay and the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA). It was then opened to alumni of other institutes too and people joined in positively. It is sad to look at the ongoing wrestlers' protest. We have Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, which is a good thing. We respect that. Yet they are struggling to get their voice heard. Their pleas are falling on deaf ears. They had to file a petition in the Supreme Court just to get an FIR registered. We have laws. Why are they not being enforced? Why is the process not being followed?"

He added, "We talk about women's empowerment, but this is what is happening on the ground. We are not talking about who is guilty and who is not. But why should a woman struggle so much just to be heard? Why is the person in power allowed to remain in power when an investigation is going on against him? We don't know how or what will happen after our letter to the prime minister. However, through this, we want to show our support of the cause and stand by our champions who have brought glory to our country."

Another IIT-B alumnus, from the 1980 batch, Shekhar Phatak, said, "We wanted to take part in this protest in some way and show the protesting wrestlers they are not alone in their fight; we are with them and wholeheartedly. We hope more and more prominent people in the country come out and openly show their support."

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