Some students of Delhi's famous Lady Sri Ram College complained of semen filled balloons being thrown at them. Student union requested college administration and the police to take action.
The union posted on its Facebook page, "As incidents of throwing semen filled balloons at LSR students were officially brought to the notice of the Students' Union by the Student body, the Union has formally requested for increased police patrol in the college vicinity areas ."
Students and teachers of Delhi Jesus And Marry college had protested outside Delhi Police headquarters on Thursday.
In a memorandum to Delhi's Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, the protesters wrote, "In many parts of Delhi, the occasion of Holi has been misused to assault women and young girls with semen-filled balloons physically. We are approaching you with a strong appeal for adequate policing and patrolling, and for more proactive measures because we strongly feel these are lacking."
Women's rights activist Kavita Krishnan says the festival of colours has become a day of dread.
"Women who already protest harassment every day everywhere, are saying 'we won't stop minding harassment just coz it's Holi' (Holi hai tab bhi bura to manoongi), coz 'Bura na mano Holi hai' (Don't mind, it's Holi) has become excuse for sexual harassment," Krishnan tweeted.
Many women took to social media to express their anger and disgust.
An Instagram post by a Delhi-based student read, "My white kurta doesn't invite you to throw balloons at me. A girl walking alone on the road doesn't invite you to wish her happy Holi by touching her body."
Source: Facebook
Famous Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurana says 'Bura na maano Holi hai' is overused and misused.
He tweeted, "'Bura na maano Holi hai' is overused and misused. Dear men, you better behave with women this time. #HappyHoli"
However, there are others who see a conspiracy behind these sentiments. Swati Sharma Goel, a journalist, says sexual harassment of women is not limited to the Holi.
"Yeah. Sexual harassment happens in New Year parties too. As we recently learnt, happens during Haj too. It's not like Holy texts ask men to harass women during Holi," she tweeted.
Another journalist Jagrati Shukla questioned the authenticity of the news about semen-filled balloons being thrown at women.
"Hard to believe.Forget about balloons, can a man or animal ejaculate enough to fill a single balloon?Need investigation," Shukla tweeted.
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