Commission Chair Susieben Shah runs a women’s taxi company and values her reputation. Time is short while this scandal is in the media, but if enough of uscall on Shah today to demand Asha’s resignation, we can win! Send a message now, then send this further:
Asha first said “Women too are responsible to an extent [for rape]. Their clothing and behaviour too play a part. The Delhi gangrape victim could have gone for the 9.00 pm show. Why did she go for the late show?” She then issued a partial apology, but confirmed that “What I said was my personal opinion”. She just doesn’t get it!
Right now, Susieben Shah is chair of a laughing stock of a Commission that is failing to get a grip of the 6,000 pending cases in the state, and may be making life worse for women rather than better. But Ms. Shah does also seem genuinely concerned about empowering women. She is also a business woman who cares about her image, the founder of a women’s only taxi service and a healthcare company.
It is time for Shah to show that she means business when it comes to protecting the women of Maharashtra. The only way she can restore reputations — her own as well as the Commission’s — is to make sure Asha Mirje is booted from her post this week. Let’s send her a strong message now, before the media fuss dies down:
Send a message
With hope,
Meredith, Patri, Aldine, Alice, Alex and the Avaaz team.
