Bengaluru: On a day when New Delhi exploded following the expression of inability by the Supreme Court to intervene and stop the release of the juvenile (now a major) in the Delhi paramedic rape and murder case, Bengaluru responded in equal measure with a campaign to mobilize support on the issue receiving a staggering 25,000 signatures.
A large number of students took part in the signature campaign launched by the state unit of National Students Union of India (NSUI) and expressed their outrage over the release of the juvenile.
The NSUI placed boards in front of two prominent colleges— Christ University and Mount Carmel College — where girl students expressed their anger by scribbling small notes and appending their signatures. Apart from heaping abuses on the juvenile, MCC and Christ students wrote slogans like, ‘Age is not the criteria if crime is rape’, ‘We want justice, hang the rapist’, ‘Where is Mr Modi?’ ‘He (juvenile) should be stripped naked and nailed to death,’ among others.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, NSUI state president, H.S. Manjunatha said, “We have received 25,000 signatures compared to the 2,500 signatures when a similar campaign was launched in 2013. The campaign was designed and conceptualised Sunday night, so we could not launch it on a wider scale. However, we plan to carry out this campaign throughout the state for the next three days to cover as many as colleges possible.” According to him, the release of the juvenile has spurred the demand for the passage of a bill — that seeks to lower the juvenile age from 18 to 16 years.
“Most of the slogans alongside the signatures reflected this sentiment. More than boys, girls have expressed their anger in every possible way. This is the first time that the NSUI has achieved such a high degree of success in a campaign,” he said.
Once the signature campaign is over in the state, the NSUI will send it to President Pranab Mukherjee demanding an early passage of the bill.
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