Chennai: Various women’s organisations, Dr Vasanthi Devi, former head of the state commission for women, and V. Geetha, the feminist historian, had lodged a petition with the DGP on Wednesday seeking action against those who threaten documentary filmmaker Divyabharathi of Madurai. Divyabharathi had made a film titled kakoos about the inhuman and banned practice of manual scavenging. She was receiving calls stating that she had ‘insulted’ a particular community. “It is evident that they had not watched the film. She has been threatened with sexual assault and violence. She is open to rational criticism of her work. But she is now made a target of hate speech. It is a violation of her right to life and to the right of freedom of expression, which was upheld by in the Perumal Murugan case by the chief justice of Madras High Court,” the letter to the DGP said adding that the police should extend protection to her person.
Apart from AIDWA, NFIW, Penngal Ezhuchi Amaippu, Pennurumai Iyakkam, Pengal Santhippu, and Manidhi had together sent this petition to the state police head on Wednesday.
