Citizen’s Collective against Sexual Assault (CCSA) is a Delhi/NCR-based group of individuals and organisations that works towards preventing and addressing issues of sexual violence against women, girls and transgender people, including raising awareness among the public, media, administration and the police on issues of women’s rights. CCSA organized for the third year in succession, a Take Back the Night rally on December 31, 2014, ending at 12.30 am on January 1, 2015. The New Year was welcomed with songs of protest, dance, street plays, with everyone meeting at PVR Anupam Saket, walking towards Saket Metro Station. Below is the statement they produced for the occasion, and some photographs.

Matargashti is an expression of freedom, vibrancy, happiness, consent, confidence like reaching out to the clouds and bursting them like bubbles! Matargashti (or “loitering”) should be an essential part of each one’s life. Fearlessly roam on the roads, sprawl in the park, jump on to buses, metro and trains or laze around at a chai stall. I may be anyone — woman, man or transgender. Fearlessly be out at any time, travelling by public transport or in my own car. Proudly flaunting my wheelchair or crutches or tap-tapping my way around with my white cane. Someone who lives on the streets because I have nowhere else to call home. Fearlessly wear whatever clothes I feel like. And regardless of which region of India I belong to – North, South, the Northeast or anywhere else.

There are other sides to Matargashti too — Respect and Dignity; Consent; Equality and Justice; Safety and Security; Self-protection; Rights and Freedoms.

Rights of all kinds:

• Right to work in an equal, safe and secure environment.
• The right of two girls in Badayun to have access to toilet facilities.
• The right of two sisters in Haryana to travel safely on the bus and on public roads.
• The right for a woman in Delhi to travel safely home in a taxi.
• To go to weddings in a wheelchair and dance like there is no tomorrow!
• Disregard the commands of khap panchayats and choose one’s partner without fear or compulsion. The right for a college girl to choose her partner and remain alive to enjoy her life!
• To not bring questions of religions and love jihad in between two lovers.
• The right to NOT marry.
• In the bylanes of Hyderabad and Connaught Place (and everywhere else), the freedom for transgender people to roam around safely and without fear. As the Supreme Court has said in its judgement, their right to live with respect and dignity.
• To raise one’s voice against Section 377 and to let people live and choose their own partners without fear of an age-old and archaic law.
• To live safely outside or within the confines of the home. To be free of child sexual abuse, to explore new paths and find new co-travellers.

Raise questions instead against those who make unequal rules. Those who claim to be caretakers of society, and make decisions for and issue diktats against women and girls and try to chain their freedoms, in the name of protection. The Constitution of India has given fundamental rights to every citizen of the country, irrespective of caste, class, gender, religion and community. However, some elements are trying to reframe the rules and fuel conflict by making these rights community-specific.  Who decides this? It is our Constitution that allows us to live with these rights and to access work and other opportunities.

And to loiter at will, without hurting or harming anyone.

Have a wonderful, matargashti-filled 2015!

Contact: ccsaindia@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/groups/sbandolan/

Tweet us at: #TBTN 2015 #whyloiter