SJC students protest violence against women

EOI, Darjeeling, 19 August 2014: The St. Joseph’s College in Darjeeling has always put itself in front to take on social issues and has always been active to spread the message of love, peace and hope among the Hills people. The same was proved yet again on Tuesday as students of the mass communication and journalism department organized a rally and a street play as part of its “public relation campaign” event.

The rally was flagged off from the railway station and culminated in Chowrastha, the popular Hills promenade. The students also staged a three street plays on different aspects atrocities against women in the society. “It is heartening to see the students actively participating in social issues. Today the students of our department organized three street plays on domestic violence, sexual harassment and human trafficking,” said Smriti Rai, head of the mass communication and journalism department.

The department head was of the opinion that such campaigns are imperative to bring awareness among the public of the Hills on women centric issues. “Atrocities on womenfolk are the burning issue of today in the nation. We must take initiative to come up with campaigns such as this to effectively bring about consciousness, as we too have been bearing the brunt of these atrocities one way or the other,” Rai said.

Alex Gurung, lecturer at the mass communication and journalism department of the college said, “Today is also the world humanitarian day and our campaign today is befitting. We want to say that we respect and protect women”.

Third year student Ruchika Bantawa, who participated in the street play on human trafficking, seemed taken by the enormity of the occasion. “I shudder every time I read in the newspaper and watch television to know what is happening to the women in our country. Being a female I want security and safety of the womenfolk. And participating in the program today is my social responsibility,” she said.

Vikram Rai, another lecturer condemned the recent case of physical abuse of a 13 year old girl in Bangalore and also highly praised the recent speech of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day, that it's time to question the males in the society about their whereabouts. “I congratulate and thank the students for participating in today’s program with a social cause. It is also heartening to see members from different social organization and women related associations attending our program. I hope people of the Hills take time out to think about the various social dangers which can be averted if they are a little aware,” he said.