Asifa was a sweet, jovial and innocent eight years old girl. The beautiful photo is widely shared on social media showing her wide-eyed innocence. Asifa belonged to Muslim Gujjar-Bakarwal community in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, and went missing on January 10 from the Rasana village in Kathua, where she stayed with her family. Her father registered the missing child (Asafa’s) case with the police station on January 12. Her assaulted body was found on January 17. Six men were arrested, among them a police officer, a retired revenue official and his family members; later the two policemen were arrested for connivance and destruction of evidence. Three months later, on April 9, the crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police, which took over the investigation, filled charge sheet in court. Its contents have been widely reported.
After the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir took the lead, political parties and local Hindu groups played the communal card and rallied for support in favour of those who were arrested. These have been organized by Hindu EktaManch, a platform set up by affiliates of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sang. The Hindu Ekta Manch has been pursuing to prove that the investigation is wrong, the arrested persons are wrong because all those arrested happen to be Hindus whereas the child victim belonged to a Muslim community. It is not just the Hindu Ekta Much involved. The Two Ministers of the PDP-BJP coalition government belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Lal Sing – Forests Minister and Chander Parkash Ganga- Industries Minister, had joined an agitation against the arrest. Lawyers went on strike to prevent the police officials from filling the charge sheet. Yetnone of them have been arrested. The have patronage of their leaders in the BharatiyaJanata Party.
Further, it can be argued that the rape was a deliberate plan to terrorize the Muslim Gujjar-Bakarwal community to leave the area. The Gujjara and Bakerwals, recognized as Scheduled Tribes, are Muslims by belief. The Asifa was raped, going by charge sheet, because she belongs to Muslim. The New York Times newspaper wrote that the incident “seemed another isolated, horrific episode of sexual violence in India, perpetrated against a powerless girl by brutal men. But in the months since Asifa’s murder, the case has become another battleground in India’s religious wars.”
In fact, the electronic media is leading the campaign of justice for Asifa. The social media is also boiling with anger over the inhuman and horrific incident. The hasting justice for Asifa is trending over twitter with over more two lakh tweets on the subject till this date.The Asifa’s father, United Nations chief, politicians, sportsmen Bollywood’sstars, student organizations have also expressed shock over the crime and demanded Justice for Asifa.
Asifa’s father
Asifa’s father said that “we searched for Asifa everywhere but did not search inside the ‘temple’; we knew that it is a very sacred place.”
Antonio Guterres
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, wants Indian authorities to ensure that the perpetrators of the “horrific” gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua be brought to justice.
Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi, the Indian National Congress president called the Asafa’sincident as “a crime against humanity”.”How can anyone protect the culprits of such evil?What happened to Asifa at #Kathua is a crime against humanity. It cannot go unpunished. What have we become if we allow politics to interfere with such unimaginable brutality perpetrated on an innocent child?”
Shoaib Akhtar
Pakistani cricketer, Shoaib Akhtar tweeted that “Really sad to see this we already lost Zanib& now her. Hindu Muslim or any other religion these are our daughters those who are humiliated in our cities & and villages perhaps we need to start punishing the culprits with iron & show no mercy.. Just hang them ..”
GautamGambhir
GautamGambhirtweeted that “Indian consciousness was raped in Unnao and then in Kathua. It’s now being murdered in corridors of our stinking systems. Come on ‘MrSystem’, show us if you have the balls to punish the perpetrators, I challenge you,”
VirenderSehwag
VirenderSehwag said he is “at a loss of words for 8-year-old Asifa.”
Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza, tennis startwitted that “Is this really the kind of country we want to be known in the world today? If we can’t stand up now for this 8 year old girl regardless of our gender, caste, colour or religion then we don’t stand for anything in this world, not even humanity. makes me sick to the stomach,”
Sanjay Dutt
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt said that “We have failed as a society! Being a father, I am shaken and filled with anger reading about what happened to an 8 year old kid. My heart goes out to Asifa’s family. I refuse to accept we really let THIS happen. Justice has to be served NOW,”
Javed Akther
Songwriter andPoet Javed Akhter tweeted that “all those who wish justice for women should stand up”.
SonamKapoor
SonamKapoor, Bollywood actor tweeted “Ashamed, appalled and disgusted by fake nationals and fake Hindus. I cannot believe this is happening in my country,”
FarhanAkther
“Imagine what goes through the mind of an 8 yr old as she is drugged, held captive, gang-raped over days and then murdered. If you don’t feel her terror, you are not human. If you don’t demand Asifa get justice, you belong to nothing,”
Left Democratic Students Front (LDSF)
Left Democratic Students Front (LDSF) of Central University of Gujarat tweeted that “Left Democratic Students Front-CUG condemn the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. It’s very shocking that BJP governments are protecting the accused in both cases. We request you to stand by us and express your solidarity with victims and their families”.
In the end, I would like to conclude that this incident is totally against the humanity. It is totally disgraceful, shameful, horrific, inhuman and heinous by fake nationals and fake hindus. Also, I would like to say here that all those who wish justice for Asafa should stand up.
(The author a freelance writes frequently for “Kashmir Horizon”. His views are personal)
