Legal literacy and health awareness programme for women organized

The Helping Hands Society organized an Interactive Session on legal literacy and health awareness for female students of Aligarh Muslim University titled “Quwwat-e-Niswaa'n”, at Women's College auditorium. Mrs. Sabiha Simi Shah, wife of the Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah, presided over the inaugural session. Dr. Nahid Murtaza Khan, Principal, Women’s College, was the Guest of Honour.

The interactive session commenced with the welcome address by Areeba Siddiqui, President, Helping Hands Society, who highlighting the mission and vision of the society.

Mrs. Qurratul-Aein Ali, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work delivered a talk on personal health and hygiene concerning women. She said that most of the women are careless about their health, which, in the long run, leads to serious health issues. From hand washing to reproductive health, every aspect of general health should be taken care of, she added. She also informed the girls about various reproductive tract infections including sexually transmitted diseases, their prevention and cure.

Anam Rais Khan, a student of BALLB enlightened the girls about their legal rights and procedural safeguards under the Criminal Procedure Code with special reference to the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013. She said, “I believe that the major cause of exploitation of women in India is not the dearth of laws, but the fact that women at large are unaware of their rights. Laws are rotting in law books and restricted to court rooms.” She observed that no woman can be arrested after sunset and before sunrise and no woman can be called as witness to police station but have to be examined at their place of residence only.

Sarah Hashim Khan, another student of BALLB described rules and procedure of filing complaint to the Committee against Sexual Harassment and for Gender Sensitization existing in the AMU i.e., which acts as a grievance redressal body for sexual harassment of students, teachers or non teaching staff.

Nabeela Siddiqui and Roshan Alam shed light on the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. Deeba Abrar, a research scholar in the Department of Women Studies presented a poem “Betiyan” composed by renowned poet, Johnny Foster.

Samia Siddiqui, Secretary of the Society, proposed the vote of thanks. Over 500 girls from various courses of AMU were present at the session.




Press Release Submitted to AMU PRO Office

Justice Hanged : A take on Afzal Guru's execution

On 9th February 2013, at about 8 o’ clock in the morning in Delhi’s Tihar jail complex, India’s Criminal Justice system was hanged and buried.

Afzal Guru’s case is the typical example of how mighty concepts like ‘justice’ and the ‘rule of the law’ do not apply in cases where powerful interests find them inconvenient. While being tried for conspiracy against the state – one of the most serious crimes in any country – Afzal Guru had no real legal representation, the State had no witnesses that could directly implicate him in the crime and all evidence against him was purely circumstantial and based on flimsy grounds. The limit of irregularities was such that there were two different versions presented by the State even regarding his arrest, but none of these were questioned in court.

On these grounds, no court in a civilised nation could have held him guilty, let alone sentence him to death. Even the Supreme Court, while confirming his death sentence, remarked that there wasn’t enough evidence to convict him, but “collective conscience” demands that he be hanged.

It was truly disheartening to see the guardian of our constitution give to demands of the mob and ignore the law. What was even more sickening was the fact that his death was met with jubilation and followed by celebration in large parts of the country.

Don’t get us wrong. We are not inciting anyone against the State, we do not want to be anti-India. But what are we supposed to understand from all this? That anyone can be hanged to cover up for the State’s incompetence? That the law is going to be guided by cheap politics? That anyone from us could be made the next Afzal Guru?

The only one who terrorizes us today is the State, not some fictitious “Terrorist” outfit. We can be arrested anytime, detained for any period of time, and convicted of any crime at the whim and mercy of the State. To many who are thus oppressed by the state, be it a suspected “Jihadi” or an alleged “Naxalite”, the real National Security Threat is the State.

We know this is an emotional outburst, but we are feeling emotional. We are hurt and angry and distressed and afraid for we are oppressed by the very forces which are made to protect us.

We remain citizens of this country, we shall continue to call on the institutions made to protect us, we shall continue to struggle with all the just means and tools, but in times like this se are forced to ask: Is it worth it?

- By Fawaz Shaheen (B.A.LLB)