Strikes and protests by various members of the Valmiki community against the injustice in the Hathras case have taken the country by storm in what seems to be one of the most significant agitations for the 19-year-old Dalit women.
Sanitation workers from the Valmiki community – to which the victim belonged – declared an eight-day strike in Agra and Firozabad on October 3 to show solidarity with the family. According to news reports, protesters allegedly pelted stones at the police that hurled back stones as well.
Long live Mahatma Ayyankali ✊️✊️✊️ pic.twitter.com/DEajY8wHSF
— Amritha Subhayan Krishnan ? (@Skamritha) October 4, 2020
Their protest has been seen and recognised by urban citizens as well due to the gathering heaps of garbage across cities.
Standing in solidarity with #HathrasVictim ,
Sanitation workers of Valmiki Community in Agra and other cities are on a strike resulting in heaps of garbage lying around across cities.This solidarity is more effective than any political or activist protests.#DalitLivesMatter
— Berozgar SK_Anuragi (@SK_Anuragi) October 4, 2020
However, instead of complaining about the garbage, some citizens encouraged the workers’ strike and demanded the same from mainstream media.
Meanwhile, the rest of North India’s cities widely shared the community’s efforts to make their dissent heard.
From Agra to Himachal, the Valmiki Samaj protests the outrage at Hathras #HathrasHorror @ValmikiSamaj #Valmiki #AnhilateCaste #dalitslivesmatter #DalitLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/MNwwe0JLkk
— Teesta Setalvad (@TeestaSetalvad) October 4, 2020
#JusticeForIndiasDaughters
Protest n wd 29 Narsipada Kandivali E
Women of Valmiki Samaj lighted candles and prayed for her soul#HangHathrasRapists#ShameOnYogi@sushmitadevinc@RahulGandhi @GaikwadSpeaks @VarshaEGaikwad @priyankagandhi pic.twitter.com/CC7PoTtaf7— Dr Ajanta Yadav ( डॉ. अजंता यादव ) (@DrAjantaaYadav) October 2, 2020
#ValmikiSamaj #Marredpally #Secunderabad #Telangana #JusticeForIndiasDaughters#JusticeForManishaValmiki#HathrasCase#StandWithAazad#HathrasHorrorShocksIndia#ShameOnUPGovt#DalitLivesMatter #HangHathrasRapists pic.twitter.com/e7BvJgw8I5
— Navin Pivhal (@navinpivhal) October 1, 2020
The protests seemed strongest in Uttar Pradesh as videos from various cities of the state trended on the internet.
However, sanitation workers and supporters in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana also added their voice to the growing dissent.
Towards north-east, Assam protesters observed a candle-march Jorhat city and other parts of the state.
The support for the girl’s family was not restricted to India. South Asian organisations in countries like Canada also showed their solidarity by holding a protest on Toronto streets.
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