Police permission revoked following objections; some activists arrested and freed

A police crackdown foiled the Bangalore edition of a Slutwalk demonstration, planned to coincide with similar events in Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Over a dozen activists who turned up were arrested near the Town Hall and released later. The build-up to the proposed event had been going on for several months through a dedicated Facebook page, bolstered by coverage on local radio stations and in newspapers. It was planned as a protest against the “common tendency” to further persecute victims of sexual violence by accusing them of inviting the attack through their gestures and appearance.

The activists, mostly girls and boys in their teens and early 20s, had managed to get police permission earlier in the week to stage a demonstration under the Slutwalk banner. But it was revoked late on Saturday, allegedly under pressure from certain right-wing groups.

Police under ‘no pressure'

Additional Commissioner (Law and Order) Suneel Kumar told The Hindu that permission had to be cancelled after “some groups” raised objections. But “we were under no pressure. We just decided to stop the event owing to security concerns.”

However, two Deputy Commissioners independently told The Hindu that a women's group based in the Malleshwaram area, affiliated to the Sangh Parivar, had informed the police and the ‘Slutwalkers' that the event is “against the culture of India.”

Organisers later said a few of them had gathered at the demonstration venue to tell people who did not know about the cancellation. “We had people coming down from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. We just wanted to inform them that the event is off,” said Vikram Hemanathan, who was one of those arrested.

“Threatening calls”

Addressing a press conference after the release of the activists, chief organiser Dhilon Mowli said he had received two threatening calls late on Saturday from women claiming to be heads of certain well-known organisations. While he refused to divulge the names of the organisations or the women, he said they threatened him with dire consequences if he went ahead with the protest.

Asked about the alleged role of the Sangh, he said, “I do not want to get into further trouble. It is risky. We just want to focus on the issue at hand.”

However, the activists, undeterred, said they would continue to seek police permission until it was granted. At the press conference, they were at pains to explain that they were no proponents of skimpy dressing or sexual promiscuity. “We just want to create awareness of sexual violence,” said Aqseer Sodhi.

The group has several other interventions planned including a sensitisation drive for the city police as well as self-defence workshops for women. “We want to have a dialogue with the groups opposed to us. We are sure they will see our point,” said Mr. Mowli.

Slutwalk, a movement that was triggered by a policeman's insensitivity toward a victim of sexual violence in Toronto (Canada) in April this year, has spread to different parts of the world. Its participants hold demonstrations against explaining away or excusing sexual violence by referring to the appearance of the victim.