PANJIM: Against the backdrop of candlelight vigils demanding justice for Asifa, the late eight-year-old girl from Kathua, and the teenaged girl from Unnao, that have seen thousands of Indians turning up, hundreds of Goans are expected to take part in rallies that will be held in Panjim and Margao on Sunday evening.
“Our voices can make all the difference if we let it out. Join me and the rest of Goa on 15th April 2018, as we march for awareness of such hideous crimes, demand for justice, and as we walk for a little girl and many other children and individuals who didn’t deserve a fate as monstrous as this,” says Gretchen Barretto, who is part of the group leading the rally from Panjim.
The Panjim candlelight march will start from Miramar Circle at 6.30 pm and will proceed to Azad Maidan.
Encouraging protestors to carry slogans and banners, the Panjim group cautioned that the message shouldn’t circle around a particular religion, caste or gender.
“The purpose of the march is to raise awareness about the inhumanity and to demand justice. We are walking for humanity. And we are walking for justice. And if we don’t walk now, then when?” asks Barretto, expressing her disgust over the gruesome murder of Asifa.
In Margao, the group will meet at the entrance of the Margao Municipal Garden, located opposite the post office at 5 pm and carry out an hour long march around the garden.
“We are carrying out a peaceful march for Justice for Asifa and justice for the survivor at Unnao. We are coming together to raise our voices for those who have been silenced and for those who remain silent. It is only a walk around the garden, a maximum of 45 minutes of your time for all those who can do longer, do what you can,” says Althea Fernandes who is part of the group leading the rally from Margao.
“A society is known by the treatment of its most vulnerable members. Its women, children and aged. Recent events at Kathua and Unnao have shown how depraved we are as a society and how insensitive and immoral as a community. We want zero tolerance to atrocities against women and children. Let’s stop discriminating based on gender, age, caste, class, religion, region, colour, occupation, situation and behaviour,” adds Fernandes.
While the two groups are meeting on the ground, there has been a chorus of outrage on social media over the last few days condemning the incidents and the rising number of rapes occurring in the country.
