Where is Rachna?

The abduction of Rachna, daughter of social activists, and the sexual exploitation of a dalit woman takes UP by storm

Pradeep Kapoor, Lucknow, Hardnews 

On February 20, when Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Anup Sanda raised the issue of the mysterious kidnapping of 20-year-old Rachna Rai and sexual exploitation of a dalit woman, Santoshi, in Badhoi district, the UP assembly took serious note of it. Sanda said Rachna Rai was kidnapped in the first week of February as her parents Pushpa and VK Rai, social activists associated with the Centre for Environment and Rural Technology (CERT), were planning to stage a demonstration in support of Santoshi, daughter of a carpet weaver. She was allegedly being sexually exploited for the past 13 years by a powerful carpet exporter, Ghulam Rasool. He added that although 15 days have passed since Rachna was kidnapped, the police was refusing to probe the case.
After Sanda raised the issue, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pramod Tewari and SP MLA Ambika Choudhry demanded prompt action. Senior minister Nasimuddin Siddiqui, speaking on behalf of the BSP-led government, told the House that one person has been arrested and assured quick action. The speaker also directed the government to take action to locate Rachna and punish those responsible for Santoshi's exploitation.
A people's movement is building up in Badhoi and other parts of UP under the banner of 'Rachna Rai ko Vaapas Lao Santoshi ko Nyay Dilao Sangharsh Abhiyan' to mount pressure on the Mayawati government. Demonstrations were held in front of the Vidhan Sabha Bhawan in Lucknow, joined by various social organisations and political parties like the CPI and CPI-ML (Liberation). The Rickshaw Mazdur Union also came forward; 60 rickshaw-pullers attended the demonstration and five others mobilised masses in the city. Prominent organisations from across the state and eminent personalities such as Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pande, who formed a human chain in Lucknow, are leading the agitation and pushing senior government officials for urgent action. Their major demands include investigation into Rachna's kidnapping, rescuing her, justice to Santoshi, transfer of Badhoi police officials, security to Rachna and Santoshi's families and a CBI probe.
Rachna was kidnapped on the morning of February 5, 2008 from Badhoi in Sant Ravi Das Nagar of UP. She was on her way to the college, the Kashi Naresh Rajkiya Snatakottar Mahavidyalaya in Gyanpur, the district headquarters, where she is a BA IInd year student. A case was registered at Kotwali, Gyanpur under Section 303/366 on the February 5, 2008. Her parents VK Rai and Pushpa Rai have been raising the issue of Santoshi's sexual exploitation.
Santoshi has allegedly been exploited by Ghulam Rasool since she was 13/14 year old. When she was 12, she used to accompany her mother, a domestic help, to one of the four houses owned by Rasool. Later, she claims, Rasool began to sexually exploit her. When she brought this to her mother's notice she was asked to keep her mouth shut and go back to West Bengal. "For 13 years, he exploited me, often taking me to hotels in Varanasi, Lucknow and Delhi. He forced me to undergo four abortions at a Varanasi hospital,"Santoshi reportedly told the media and police officials.
Three years ago, she was allowed to give birth to a boy. Later, she also gave birth to a girl who died after three months. Now, Santoshi is again four months pregnant with Ghulam Rasool's child. In 2003, after Rasool's family came to know about his relationship with her, he shifted her and the baby to a house in Pipris in Nainpur colony. He even registered the house in the name of her brother but his family threw her out of the house when she started asking Rasool to fulfil his promise of marrying her.
After her meeting with the Rai couple, Santoshi met SN Sabat, DIG Vindhya Range, during the Tehsil Diwas programme on January 8. Two days later, the police registered a case under Sections 376 and the SC/ST Act. Besides Rasool, the other accused are his three sons and his wife who has beaten up Santoshi and thrown her out of the house in Pipris Nainpur colony.
Meanwhile, Pushpa and VK Rai had instituted a fact-finding mission and were helping Santoshi fight for her rights. They had announced a dharna in front of Rasool's residence on February 7, 2008 along with other social organisations. Two days before this dharna, their daughter was kidnapped. They believe that Rasool is behind it.
According to social activist Jaishankar Pande, the local police of Badhoi were callous and took a long time to even lodge an FIR when Rachna disappeared. The police insisted that she had eloped with someone. It was only when all the organisations came under the leadership of Sandeep Pande, held a series of demonstrations in Bhadoi and Lucknow that the Badhoi circle officer was transferred.
The matter has been taken to the Prime Minister's Office. Following public pressure, Rasool was arrested in Badhoi on February 16 and a probe to locate Rachna was withdrawn from local police and handed over to the Special Task Force. Meanwhile, the movement has intensified across the state. Even while Rachna's parents fight a protracted struggle.