The petition letter was hand-delivered to Consulate Generals of India in Sydney and Melbourne on Monday, April 23, 2018 and comes after eight-year-old Asifa Banu was abducted, brutally raped and tortured for seven days in a temple, then murdered in Kathua in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The events have only recently come to light, and the Indian government has been criticised for its passive response.
"Zero Tolerance After Asifa" was launched by Neel Banerjee (theatre practitioner in Sydney), Dr Roanna Gonsalves (writer in Sydney) and Dr Mridula Nath Chakraborty (academic in Melbourne). The petition was signed by members of the Australian Indian intelligentsia and other prominent Australians with close ties to India, standing in solidarity with protests in India and across the world.
Indian activists hold protest against the alleged political silence over the rape of a child near Jammu and a rape case in Uttar Pradesh state. Source: AAP
"We are appalled, outraged and ashamed at the way gender oppression is appropriated, torture of minority groups are justified, and interventions into people’s daily lives, food habits and cultural practices are being committed with impunity in the name of Hinduism under the aegis of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, led by the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi.” (petition)
One of them is a former lecturer of University of NSW, Mr Pratap Amin. Mr. Amin shared the reason of signing petition with SBS Gujarati saying, "The reason for me to sign this petition is that this situation in India regarding rape has become too much prevalent and despite all the publicity and legal recall where the people are arrested, charged put in prison the result does not see to make any difference."
"The reason for me to sign this petition is that this situation in India regarding rape has become too much prevalent and despite all the publicity and legal recall where the people are arrested, charged put in prison the result does not see to make any difference."
The petition letter also protests against the current climate of "ongoing political atrocities towards Muslims and other minority communities in India."
Mr Amin said he hopes the measure will put international pressure on the Indian government to take appropriate measures to protect the safety of women. 
"International Pressure is needed and will work because, in the end, people will say they do not want to travel to India as a tourist," he said. "And it will affect tourism in India. There were examples in the past where some non-Indians were burned alive in India, and eventually, the court took action, and the perpetrator brought to justice. But by the time the process finishes the damage is done."
A protestor holds up an image of Asifa Bano at a demonstration in Jammu. Source: EPA
He said that many Australian families and Indian Australian families who have young daughters will now think twice about sending them to India to study and explore the country.
The signatories are also urging the Indian government to take immediate action in providing justice to Asifa and all other victims of sexual violence. They also demanded to provide support and compensation to their families so the faith of citizens and the international community in Indian democracy can be restored.
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