Booked for stopping min, Spiti women get support

Manali: A large number of women’s organisations from across Himachal Pradesh have extended support to about 190 women of Spiti who are facing legal action for assembling and stopping the movement of agriculture and tribal welfare minister Ram Lal Markanda by blocking the national highway near Kaza on June 9.
Women from mahila mandals (women’s groups) were served with show-cause notice and a case was registered against them at Kaza police station after the incident.Now, a signature campaign has also been started across the state. In a letter signed by woman activists, it has been stated that women were used by politicians for vote bank, but were suppressed when they raised their voice for safety of society.
“If the FIR against women is not withdrawn and if police do not stop harassing and insulting them, we will take this issue to the women’s commission and tribal commission. The minister who honoured the women and had returned from Kaza should also come out in women’s support.”
Lahaul-Spiti was the only district in Himachal where Covid-19 had not entered until Monday, when two migrant labourers tested positive. Locals had taken many strict decisions to stop the virus. Mahila mandals were guarding villages and were not allowing outsiders to enter. Despite this, two cases have been found in Lahaul valley. Now, residents of Spiti valley fear the disease will reach their doorstep as well.
While there is no restriction in intra-state movement in Himachal, Spiti residents are still not allowing anybody from other districts. If anyone enters, residents have made a rule of 15 days of quarantine for them.
Women from Kaza mahila mandal said thousands of people had been booked for not adhering to Covid-19 and lockdown rules, but government should praise the efforts of the responsible residents who have sacrificed their businesses, farming and all the works and made their own strict rules to stop spread of the infection. We have been seeking government and administration cooperation in making our efforts successful since mid-March,” they said.A member of Kaza mahila mandal said they had not congregated especially to oppose the minister on June 9. “Tribal advisory council (TAC) had started bringing labourers from outside even when he had said no. Mahila mandals, yuvak mandals and beopar mandal members had congregated at Spiti headquarters to oppose this. We got to know that all officials were present at Kaza’s entry gate to receive the minister and we also moved to meet them. There, we saw minister coming with 15 other vehicles. We had politely asked minister Ram Lal Markanda that we have made a rule of 15 days of quarantine for all or we will not allow him entry. Our protest was not preplanned,” said the member.
Later, a case of unlawful assembly and wrongful restraint was registered.