CJI sexual harassment case: Ripples in TN
On a day when major cities saw protests against the clean chit given to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Tamil Nadu pitched in, too.
On Tuesday, protests erupted across the country after a three-judge in-house committee gave a clean chit to the CJI on a sexual harassment complaint made by a former court employee. Even as Section 144 was imposed outside the Supreme Court, a group of peaceful protesters gathered outside the SC and began raising slogans against the CJI. Subsequently, there were also protests in other parts of Delhi.
Meanwhile, the #metoo movement, which brought out a series of high-profile sexual harassment complaints, is now joining the protest. On Monday night, #metoo movement asked ‘any groups arranging protests in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and other cities’ to keep them posted.
Planning meeting @altlawforum office today at 4pm. #122/4, Infantry road. Diff groups and individuals joining in.
— vinaysreenivasa ವಿನಯ (@vinaysreeni) May 7, 2019
Subsequently, a group had scheduled to meet in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening, while a few women planned a protest. Journalist Sandhya Menon, in a tweet, called for a nationwide protest against Ranjan Gogoi.
Call for a nationwide protest. Protest against #RanjanGogoi. Gag our mouths with black cloth and show up to express solidarity to the victim. #Bangalore – 5-6 pm, Tuesday May 7th
Mud Tank in Richmond Town, across News 9/TV9#StepDownRanjanGogoi#GogoiGottaGo
— Sandhya Menon (@TheRestlessQuil) May 7, 2019
Later in the evening, ##metoo tweeted that Singer Chinmayi, who was leading the #metoo protests in Tamil Nadu earlier, was trying to organise a protest in Chennai. #metoo tweeted asking NGOs, focus groups on women rights, #metoo activists to get in touch with Chinmayi.
Ok Chennai, @Chinmayi is trying to organise a protest against the clean chit given to #CJI Gogoi in the SH case. NGOs, focus groups on women’s rights, #MeToo activists, please get in touch with her. If you’re there in the city, please lend your support for justice.
— #MeTooIndia (@IndiaMeToo) May 7, 2019
Sources said though Chinmayi was willing to organise a protest, she has been facing hurdles in getting police permission as an individual. As only an NGO or a registered body would get police permission for a protest, Chinmayi is believed to be in touch with a few NGOs to organise the protest.
