Vigil

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Continue the Struggle to Stop  Violence Against Women!

Keep A Candle Lit Somewhere!

Support Protests Against Delhi Gangrape

A gruesome gangrape  occurred on 16 December 2012 in a moving bus in Delhi in which 23-year old Damini, a medical student was the victim. Six men brutally raped her, beat her and her boyfriend, pushed an iron rod into her body, tore her clothes and threw her on the road to die. Every now and then rape incidents occur in Delhi and other cities of India but this inhuman incident hit every woman and man very hard and erupted in angry and large protests in Delhi and other places in the country as well as in other countries where Indian diaspora lives. We the people of Indian origin who are proud of our culture, wisdom and ancient philosophy are now so ashamed of the incident, it spits at our faces.

We express our solidarity with the protesters in Delhi and their continued struggle to stop violence against women. We demand the Government of India tighten the rape laws, deal harshly with rapists and sex-offenders, provide protection to women so they feel free to file a complaint about any crime against them.

Some writers and community leaders held an initiative meeting at Jarnail Arts Acedemy on 29 December 2012 (attended by Kamlesh Ahir, Surjeet Kalsey, Hans, Sukhy Dhillon, Jarnail Artist and Ajmer Rode) to express solidarity with the on-going protests in India, and later held Candle Light Vigil on 2^nd of January 2013 at 5:00PM in Surrey’s Holland Park. More than hundred people from different organizations attended and condemned the Delhi Gang-Rape and demanded the safety of all women from the rulers in the country. The representatives of the following organizations were present at the Vigil:

Punjabi Writers Forum Vancouver, Punjabi Sahit Sabha Abbotsford, Samaanta Group, Abbotsford Women’s Support Group, Baba Sahib Ambedkar Foundation, Indian Buddhist Society, Dalit Freedom Network, Tarksheel Society, Vancouver Sath, SANSAD, Kendri Likhari Sabha North America, Chetna Society, Global Girls Power, Ambedkar International Coordinated Society of Canada, Committee of Progressive Pakistani Canadians, and other Indo-Canadian Women’s Organizations.

Continue the Struggle to Stop Violence  Against Women!

Keep A Candle Lit Somewhere!