Men scaling the walls of Miranda House in Delhi to enter the campus during Diwali fest
New Delhi:
Several men were seen scaling the walls of Miranda House College in Delhi to enter the campus during its open Diwali fest on October 16. Students, at the all-women college, alleged that the men acted aggressively upon entering the college, chanted slogans and made objectionable remarks against women.
As the video of people forcefully entering the college did rounds, it raised eyebrows and prompted the police to register an FIR against unknown persons. However, according to a student of Miranda House, who shared several videos of the incident on Twitter, this wasn’t happening for the first time.
Speaking to Humans of Bombay, the student shared that she was “warned that the men from neighbouring colleges would lurk outside catcalling us” when she took admission in Miranda House. “It had been happening for years,” she added.
The student, who is currently in her second year, alleged that some men would chant slogans derogatory towards women and that it was part of their routine. Narrating her experience at the college, she said girls remain in constant fear “of being touched and groped” and are forced to cover themselves with shrugs and shawls due to those men near the college. “But the worst part is that we’re used to this. We’re no longer appalled or taken aback. We’re just disappointed,” she said.
Talking about the recent Diwali fest incident, the student said she was shocked upon learning that police let the men enter the campus that day. She claimed that a few men at the fest were passing lewd comments on women and one even reached the hostel, stole a girl’s undergarment and paraded with it in the college campus.
The student added that when she tweeted about the incident, many alumni of the college “from 20-30 years ago” shared similar experiences. “I honestly don’t know what to say,” she said.
The student said, “I was 10 during the Nirbhaya incident. We stayed near AIIMS [All India Institute of Medical Sciences] and every night, I saw the candle marches. I grew up knowing Delhi wasn’t safe for women.”
Further, the college student said that she planned to do her Master’s and PhD from the same college and hoped that the situation would change for the better in the coming years.
