简体中文
Indians light candles to mourn the death of the 23-year-old gang rape victim and demonstrate against the rapists during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India, Dec. 29, 2012. (Xinhua/Partha Sarkar)
The Indian capital on Monday is bracing for more protests against the recent gang rape of a 23-year- old medical student who succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in Singapore in the wee hours last Saturday.
Thousands of residents and pubs have canceled their New Year celebrations to keep the protests alive and mourn the death of the Delhi University student who was gang raped on a moving bus by six men and subsequently beaten up mercilessly, along with her boyfriend, before being throw off the vehicle on Dec. 16.
"We will all continue our protests at Jantar Mantar and have canceled our New Year bash as a mark of respect for the young woman who fought bravely to survive but finally lost her battle. We have urged other students and neighbors to join the protests," said Tammana Singh, a student of Delhi University.
In fact, protests have been continuing across India, particularly in the national capital, against the government's repeated failure to prevent the growing number of sexual assault cases on women since this brutal gang rape of the medical student who was cremated Sunday after her body was flown back from Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.
"Our protests demand two major things. One is death penalty for the rapists. Another is to change laws on violence against women. The government is always very slow in its response," said Y. Raman, a male MBA student, who has appealed to all his friends to join the protests, using social media sites like Facebook.
An owner of a leading pub in the south of the Indian capital said that he would keep his bar closed on New Year's eve to mourn the death of the gang rape victim. "We will not serve liquor in our pub," said Hardip Sharma who owns Midnight.
Indian women hold posters to mourn the death of the 23-year-old gang rape victim and demand better and safer place for women to live during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India, Dec. 29, 2012.(Xinhua/Partha Sarkar)
All the six accused have been arrested and are currently in judicial custody awaiting trial which is due to start later this week. They have been slapped with murder charges which carry a maximum of death penalty if convicted.
The Indian government has also set up a judicial inquiry commission to probe into the case and find out lapses, if any, on part of authorities and "fix responsibility". Some ministers are also mulling stricter punishment for rapists, like chemical castration, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also expressed "deep sorrow" at the death of the gang rape victim and offered his condolences to the family.
"Violence against women must never be accepted, never excused, never tolerated. Every girl and woman has the right to be respected, valued and protected," he said in a statement, urging the Indian government to take further steps and reforms to deter such crimes and bring perpetrators to justice.
