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Hundreds of Delhi University (DU) students gathered at the Faculty of Arts on Monday evening to protest against the safety concerns faced by women. The demonstration, held amid heavy rain, was the third and largest protest organised by students in a week.
The protest was open strictly to women and queer participants, according to the organisers. Students carried placards and raised slogans demanding better security measures, functioning street lights and safer routes around educational institutions.
The protests come after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped at Aastha Kunj Park in South Delhi. Similar demonstrations were held last week near Lady Shri Ram College, Gargi College and Kamala Nehru College.
Students Demand Safety, Not Restrictions
During Monday’s protest, students spoke about the restrictions they face at home because of concerns over their safety. Many said that instead of being asked to stay indoors, they want authorities to address the conditions that make them feel unsafe outside.
Varsha, a second-year student at Shri Ram College of Commerce, said her father continuously tracks her location and does not want her to be outside after dark.
Students also referred to recent incidents at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab, where clashes on the campus reportedly caused fear among women hostellers.
Sunishka, a second-year student at Daulat Ram College, said reports of students being afraid to leave their hostels felt particularly close to home.
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‘We Are Not The Ones Committing The Crimes’
Several protesters said restricting women's movement cannot be the answer to crimes against them. A third-year Daulat Ram College student from Uttar Pradesh, who lives in a paying guest accommodation, questioned the decision to shift classes online as a response to safety concerns.
She said students should not be confined to their rooms and called for better security, functioning street lights and regular clearing of overgrown areas.
Another student said an unlit and poorly monitored lane forms part of her daily commute. She said she stays on calls with her parents while walking through the area because of a previous incident.
“Gen Z did not come out in the rain just to make Instagram reels,” the student said, adding that students were protesting because they were frustrated and wanted change.
Commuting Remains A Major Concern
Day scholars also spoke about feeling unsafe while travelling between home and college. Richa, a first-year student at the Delhi School of Economics, said fear remains a concern while waiting for public transport or using cabs after dark.
Students from outside Delhi also joined the protest. Shikha Kumari, a first-year master's student at North Campus from Bihar's Vaishali district, said recent reports of crimes against women had increased her concerns about safety.
The students' demands focused on improving security around campuses, fixing street lights and addressing unsafe stretches on regular commuting routes, rather than placing further restrictions on women's movement.
The protesters said they want institutions and authorities to take concrete steps so that women students can travel to and from their colleges without having to depend on restrictions imposed at home.
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