Women retaliate via social media after Indian politician blames stalking victim

Women around India recently have started to upload photos of themselves out after midnight, protesting a comment by New Delhi Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) Vice-President Ramveer Bhatti on a stalking victim. The victim Varnika Kundu, hailing from India’s Chandigarh, posted on her Facebook that she had been chased for a few kilometres on her way back to home in New Delhi on Saturday. She was almost kidnapped by two men while driving home after midnight, she added. In the Facebook post, she also said the two stalkers approached her vehicle on foot and tried to enter her car. "They seemed to really be enjoying harassing a lone girl in the middle of the night, judging by how often their car swerved, just enough to scare me that it might hit me," Varnika's post read. The post also said that she felt lucky for not lying raped and murdered in a ditch somewhere.

I am a free soul! I am a woman of today ! I live with my free will #AintNoCinderella pic.twitter.com/afSmmBdH6t

— seema (@seemaadhikari) August 8, 2017

However, in response to the incident, vice-president of New Delhi BJP Ramveer Bhatti, said the incident would not have happened if Varnika had not been out so late. Ramveer said: "The girl should not have gone out at 12 in the night."

No one tells me what to wear, what to eat, when to go out & how to dress. Keep your regressive mindset to yourself #AintNoCinderella pic.twitter.com/e3WqAKuK3f— Angkita Dutta (@angkitadutta) August 7, 2017

"Why was she driving so late in the night? The atmosphere is not right. We need to take care of ourselves," he added. According to the Times of India, Ramveer also said: "Parents must take care of their children. They should not allow them to roam at night. Children should come home on time, why stay out at night?"

Dear regressive India, I will do as I please, night or day. Don't ever think you have the right to stop me #AintNoCinderella pic.twitter.com/oHIKgbhoeA

— pooja? (@queenpsays) August 7, 2017

Protesting the comment of Ramveer, Indian women have been posting pictures of themselves out after midnight under the hashtag #AintNoCinderella. Varnika told the NDTV that the comments were part of a well-established tactic designed to intimidate her into backing off.

#AintNoCinderella pic.twitter.com/4BoPCCIlzG— Gayathri Devi (@gayathri2108) August 7, 2017

"I am supposed to be wondering about what this is going to do to my image and my life. But what would those guys have done to my life if they had caught me?" she questioned. "What I do and where I go and at what time I do it is my business," she added.