New Delhi, September 2: In response to the alleged gang rape of a minor girl in a moving sleeper bus in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, hundreds of female students from Delhi University staged a midnight march. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) issued a manifesto demanding safety, representation, and gender justice for women.
Students from various colleges within Delhi University participated in the SFI’s ‘Reclaim the Night’ march. According to an SFI press release, the students expressed their outrage over the gang rape of the 16-year-old girl, emphasizing that women have the right to move freely in public spaces at any time.
During the march, the SFI also released a ‘Student Manifesto’ for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), highlighting women’s safety, respect, and representation as key issues in the upcoming DUSU elections.
The manifesto calls for voting rights for all women’s colleges in the DUSU elections and a demand for 50% reservation for women in DUSU positions. It also advocates for safe and affordable women’s hostels without discriminatory curfews, the establishment of a working Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) with female representation, accessible menstrual hygiene facilities, robust emergency support around campus, and the presence of female police officers to combat moral policing and gender-based harassment.
Additionally, the manifesto seeks measures to prevent female dropout rates, improved access to scholarships and fellowships, gender-just curricula, and regular independent safety audits on the DU campus.
The SFI asserts that women’s safety should not come at the cost of their freedom. Instead of advising women to stay indoors after dark, universities and the government should ensure that women can study, travel, and exist in public spaces without fear.
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