By I Jothi
Ragabpur: More than 300 members of women self-help groups in West Bengal have vowed to fight the social menace of lynching.
The women met at Ragabpur village of South 24 Paragans district under the initiative Jesuit run Udayani Social Action Forum to celebrate the International Human Rights Day on December 10.
The women resolved resolved to form “peace groups” in their villages to stop killing people in the name religion.
The women expressed shock at what they said was killing of people in the name of cow protection at regular intervals. The latest victim was Mohammad Afrazul from West Bengal’s Malda district, the women’s neighborhood.
The Muslim was hacked and then burned to death in Rajasthan state in northwestern India accusing him of moving around with a Hindu woman.
The Udayani women pledged to fight against any type of lynching anywhere in their vicinity. They noted the presence of some forces in rural Bengal that try to spoil peaceful existence of members of various religious communities with ulterior motives.
The women celebrated the Human Rights day after undergoing trainings on Human Rights Issues.
Sujata Chitia, a woman leader from the village, explained how various forces in different names could spoil social harmony among villagers and why people need to be cautious, especially when Bengal is preparing to hold village council elections in 2018.
The women danced and sang songs of liberation and unity.
Dr. D’Cruz spoke to the women of their rights to health and how they should pay attention to their bodies while taking care of other family families. She taught the women some basic exercises they could do while they are busy in their daily chores.
Many diagnosed with blood pressure and glucose count were given medications and prescription for further treatments.
Rita Haldar of Chak Atahulla village was grateful to the organizers for giving them the chance for free medical check up which she otherwise would not have afford to get it in the village and her poor family would not have thought off.
The blood taken for Thyroid test has been sent to Mumbai in the West India for check up and results and will be followed in the future.