Panchkula/Chandigarh,
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The members of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), led a protest march today against Chandigarh Police for diluting charges against the two men accused of stalking and harassing Varnika Kundu.

The members of Punjab and Haryana units of AIDWA jointly marched from Yavnika Garden, Sector 5, Panchkula, towards the residence of Haryana Chief Minister in Chandigarh.

The Chandigarh Police stopped the protesters at the Housing Board Chowk assuring them of a meeting with the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The protesters staged a demonstration on the spot raising slogans against the Chandigarh Police and the Haryana government.

“The Chandigarh Police should add non-bailable sections in the FIR against the two men. Accused’s father, Subhash Barala, should resign from his post as the president of BJP’s Haryana unit. As his party is in power at both Centre and Haryana state, Barala has the power to influence the case and investigations,” said Subhashini Ali, the national vice-president of AIDWA. She also went on to condemn the BJP for shaming the victim on the social media by using her old photos and questioning her lifestyle.

“This incident and subsequent statements by the BJP leaders show that the party’s slogan of ‘Beti bachao beti padhao’ is hollow. The Chandigarh Police also seem to be working under political pressure as it earlier claimed that CCTV cameras were not working but has now come up with a footage showing the two cars. Had there been no pressure from the media and the people, the police would have forced a compromise on the victim,” Ali added.

The AIDWA delegation also met the victim. Varnika Kundu, and her family members at their home in the morning and assured full support in the fight against the politically influential accused.

A five-women delegation, including AIDWA vice president Subhashini Ali, national general secretary Jagmati Sangwan, general secretary (Haryana unit) Savita and Subhash Mattoo, general secretary (Punjab unit), gave a memorandum of demands to the Haryana Chief Minister. The memorandum sought inclusion of charges of kidnapping and outraging modesty of a woman in the FIR, issuance of non-bailable warrants against the accused and impartial probe in the case.

In the evening, another delegation of AIDWA met SP, Chandigarh, Eish Singhal, and gave him a memorandum of demands.

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