'Men were let in by cops, they stole bra, paraded it': Student shares horrifying memories of men barging into Miranda House during Diwali fest on Instagram
Chandigarh, October 28
Multiple videos of men scaling the walls of Miranda House during the Diwali fest roaming around on the campus and raising slogans were shared by the students of the prestigious all-women college on social media.
Students alleged that the men acted aggressively and made objectionable remarks against women prompting an FIR by the police.
Men climbing over the walls to get into Miranda House during an open fest. What followed was horrible. Cat-calling, groping, sexist sloganeering and more. Men entering safe spaces to harass gender minorities is nothing new, but they out do themselves every time. pic.twitter.com/UkMAuJZKVU
— Sobhana (@sobhana__) October 15, 2022
However, as per a student of Miranda House, who shared several videos of the incident on Twitter, this wasn’t happening for the first time.
View this post on Instagram
Speaking to Humans of Bombay, the student shared a big note claiming that she was “warned that the men from neighbouring colleges would lurk outside catcalling us”. She said: “I was 10 during the Nirbhaya incident. We stayed near AIIMS & every night, I saw the candle marches. I grew up knowing Delhi wasn’t safe for women.
A few months later we moved to Coimbatore where I spent 8 years until I moved back to Delhi last year.
I was 19 & had opted for BA in Miranda House. I’d been warned that the men from neighboring colleges would lurk outside catcalling us. It had been happening for years. They’d also chant their famous slogan ‘Ramjas ka Naara hai, Miranda humara hai.’ It was a part of their routine.
And honestly, this isn’t a Women’s college but a Gender minority college. We’re a home to many queer people. Our gender & sexuality are the subject of festish for these men.
Irrespective, we’re in a constant fear of being touched & groped. We carry shrugs & shawls till the college. It’s only once we’re inside that we feel safe.
But the worst part is that we’re used to this. We’re no longer appalled or taken aback. We’re just disappointed.
But things escalated 2 weeks back during a fest. The men barged inside our college. I wasn’t there until later but I came to know from a friend. At first I thought it was the usual but when I learnt that these men were let in by the ‘cops’, I was shook. We all were. We don’t know why the cops instead of taking action had opened the gates to these men. But it was too late.
A few men were discussing my friends by delegating them to each other. ‘Woh yellow waali meri hai or black waali teri hai.’ It was scarring. A friend told me how one made his way towards the hostel & stole a bra & paraded it in the college. Amidst stopping the commotion, our security guard hurt herself too. It was heartbreaking.
And when I tweeted about this incident, many alumni from 20-30 years ago reached out sharing similar experiences. I honestly don’t know what to say.
I am currently in my 2nd year. I plan on doing my Master’s, my PhD & if things work out my way, I’d love to teach at Miranda House. And here, things haven’t changed in decades but I hope they do in the next. And years later when I step into Miranda again, no student should be worried about any man objectifying them. That’s not too much to ask for, right?”
