I know most of us are occupied by enjoying the holiday season, but there are momentous events happening in India that need our attention if the plight of women in India is to be improved. Please read this note from Rita Banerji, then sign the petition:

New message about THE PM MUST IMMEDIATELY ACT ON THESE RAPE/ VIOLENCE RELATED DEMANDS
Posted by Rita Banerji

Dear Friends,

The last 10 days have been historic in Indian democracy. A brutal gang rape of a 23-year old woman set a revolution off in motion, like never seen before in independent India. Women and men in the thousands, mostly young college students occupied the center of the capital city, Delhi, protesting not just this rape, but the large scale rape and violence on women that has become systemic in India! It is the 4th most dangerous country for women in the world today, after the Congo, Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to a 2012 global survey.

The government initially remained silent, and then sent out hundreds of policemen in battle gear who attacked the unarmed students with water cannons, batons and tear gas. Then the government shut down metros and blocked roads and essentially implemented martial rule in parts of the city to force the protests to die down when they saw that even police brutality would not stop it!

The western media has been extremely silent about these protests, and it is up to the pubic both in India and the rest of the world to not let the spirit and momentum of this revolution die down. We must force it to move forward by public will and power. So please empower this revolution by lending your voice to it.

We want to start by presenting the Prime Minister with 3 specific demands that can be met very rapidly, instead of broader demands which will be forgotten over time.

So please sign the petition here.  (Click on the links embedded in the petition for more information.) And circulate this petition to make sure this revolution meets its goal: the goal of zero tolerance for violence against girls and women in India!

Thank you for all your support! And best wishes for the New Year!

with regards

Rita Banerji