Saba Rajkotia
3rd February 2020
On Monday the 3rd of February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received an open letter from over 170 activists and women’s groups alerting him to the alleged hate speeches made by BJP leaders during the Delhi elections. The open letter was signed by activist Laila Tyabji, former Indian Ambassador Madhu Badhuri, feminist economist Devaki Jain, gender rights activist Kamla Bhasin and groups like the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW).
The letter stated that BJP leaders had used “fear of rape as a campaign message” and were instigating their followers to inflict violence on the women protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The women ask, “What is this kind of communal hate and fear-mongering that you, as head of government, are encouraging, that seeks to make women of all communities feel more insecure and threatened? Vote for BJP or you will get raped! Is this your election message to Delhi’s women? Is this how low your party has sunk?”
The letter pointed out Union Minister Anurag Thakur’s comment to a crowd to “shoot the traitors”, and BJP MP Parvesh Verma’s statement where he said, “Lakhs of people gather there (Shaheen Bagh). People of Delhi will have to think and take a decision. They’ll enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them”. It also referenced Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who said “boli se nahi toh goli se maanenge” (if they don’t understand through words, we will make them understand through bullets).
“This is what history will record and India will not forgive, Mr. Prime Minister. For the nation saw the direct result of this violent atmosphere created by members of your party, which inspired ‘Ram Bhakt’ Gopal to open fire at innocent students in Jamia on January 30th, and another terrorist weaponised by the hate being spread by your party, fired at the women of Shaheen Bagh on February 1”, the women wrote.
The letter highlighted that peaceful protest was a constitutional right, and the government could not openly threaten ordinary citizens – even if it disagrees with the reasons behind the protest. The women wrote that they refused to be silent when women are labelled terrorists and traitors, “when all they are doing is fighting to protect and preserve the Constitution of our country”.
They end the letter by calling for immediate police action against the “violence mongering members of the BJP”. “You need to fight the Delhi election in a manner that upholds the dignity of our Constitution and ensures the security of India’s women”, they said.
Thus far, the Election Commission has ordered the removal of Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma from the BJP’s list of star campaigners, and both were banned from campaigning for 72 and 96 hours, respectively.
