View source for Pinjra Tod

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox organization
| native_name = पिंजरा तोड़ कच्छा फाड़
| native name = पिंजरा तोड़
| native_name_lang = hin
| founding_location = [[Delhi]], India
| purpose = Women's rights
| established =
| full_name = Break the Cage
| key_people = [[Natasha Narwal]]
| website = {{URL|https://pinjratod.wordpress.com/}}
}}
'''Pinjra Tod''' (''Break the Cage'') is a collective of women students and alumni of colleges from across [[Delhi]], India, that seeks to make regulations for [[hostel]] and [[paying guest]] (PG) accommodation less restrictive for women students. They aim to counter a perceived official narrative that women need to be protected. Challenging what they consider to be the [[Closed-circuit television|CCTV]]-driven police-security complex, Pinjra Tod demands that concepts of safety and security not be used to silence women's right to mobility and liberation.
The main goals of Pinjra Tod are to end the imposition of curfews on women, to provide affordable accommodation for women, to regularise the situation for paying guests, and to obtain the formation of elected Internal Complaint Committees for prevention, prohibition and redress of sexual harassment in universities.
== Background ==
In 2015, when Delhi's universities reopened after the summer break, [[Jamia Millia Islamia]] issued a notice stating that the female students of the college could no longer request permission to stay out later than 8 pm. The [[Delhi Commission for Women]] (DCW) challenged this, asking why the college administration thought it necessary to impose such a restriction.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/women-commission-issues-notice-to-jamia-vice-chancellor-over-gender-discrimination-1208665 |title=Women Commission Issues Notice to Jamia Vice Chancellor Over Gender Discrimination |date=18 August 2015 |access-date= 24 June 2021}}</ref>
A group of women students identified the reaction of DCW as an opening to make interventions at other universities in Delhi, rather than just Jamia.{{cn|date=March 2023}} They decided to circulate a petition<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/pinjra-tod-womens-body-accepts-groups-demands/|title=Sign the Petition|website=Change.org|date=11 October 2015|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-09-11}}</ref> to extend the discourse sparked by the Jamia incident, questioning the exclusive and exclusionary treatment that they believe applies in university spaces. Pinjra Tod mobilised people around several issues faced by female residents of hostels and PGs such as curfews, policies that apply to only women,<ref name="Azad">{{Cite web|url=http://feminisminindia.com/2015/09/30/pinjra-tod-stop-caging-women-behind-college-hostel-bars/|title=Pinjra Tod: Stop Caging Women Behind College Hostel Bars|last=Azad|first=Nikita|date=2015-09-30|website=Feminism in India|access-date=2017-02-18}}</ref> moral policing,<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes.com">{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/Pinjra-Tod-campaigners-threatened-to-be-beaten-up-for-pasting-posters/articleshow/49052268.cms|title=Pinjra Tod campaigners threatened to be "beaten up" for pasting posters - Times of India|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=2017-02-18}}</ref> higher prices for women's hostels,<ref name="huffingtonpost.in">{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/10/04/why-these-women-from-a-south-delhi-college-took-out-a-march-to-r/|title=These Women From A South Delhi College Took Out A March To Reclaim The Streets|website=Huffington Post India|access-date=2017-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219170226/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/10/04/why-these-women-from-a-south-delhi-college-took-out-a-march-to-r/|archive-date=19 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/pinjra-tod-stages-protest-against-high-university-hostel-fee/article19556804.ece|title=Pinjra Tod stages protest against high university hostel fee|last1=Ara|first1=Ismat|date=2017-08-25|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-09-11|last2=Ara|first2=Ismat|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> among others. It is also focused on ensuring that universities establish a sexual harassment committee, as mandated by [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grant Commission]] (UGC) guidelines in 2006.<ref name="dnaindia.com">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-pinjra-tod-wave-gets-hostels-to-extend-curfew-2279112|title=Pinjra Tod wave gets hostels to extend curfew {{!}} Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=2016-12-03|newspaper=dna|access-date=2017-02-18|language=en-US}}</ref>
Since then, the movement has seen participation from students of several colleges, especially from [[University of Delhi|Delhi University]], such as Jamia Milia Islamia, [[Miranda House]], [[Ambedkar University Delhi]], [[Hindu College, Delhi|Hindu College]], [[Lady Shri Ram College for Women|Lady Shriram College for Women]], [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi|St. Stephen's College]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://livewire.thewire.in/campus/st-stephens-stifles-student-protests/ |title=Students Explain How St. Stephen's Stifles Protests on Campus |date=6 November 2018 |author=St. Stephen's Dissenters |access-date= 24 June 2021}}</ref> and Delhi Technical University.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/dtu-changes-curfew-timings-for-girls-brings-it-par-with-boys/1/1024479.html|title=DTU changes curfew timings for girls, brings it par with boys|access-date=2017-09-12}}</ref> The movement has garnered momentum across the country,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/z6E69WRoNJAyUuGU5yYwXO/How-Pinjra-Tod-spread-its-wings.html|title=How 'Pinjra Tod' spread its wings|last=Borpujari|first=Priyanka|date=2016-12-30|work=livemint.com/|access-date=2017-09-12}}</ref> with students from several colleges, such as [[National Institute of Technology Calicut|NIT Calicut]], [[Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee|IIT-Roorkee]], [[Punjabi University]], [[Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University|RMNLU Lucknow]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://barandbench.com/pinjratod-movement-sees-a-victory-of-sorts-at-rmlnlu-after-change-in-hostel-timings/|title=#PinjraTod movement sees a victory (of sorts) at RMLNLU after change in hostel timings - Bar & Bench|last=Bench|first=Bar &|date=2015-11-28|work=Bar & Bench|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-US}}</ref> using the Pinjra Tod to challenge patriarchal policies women face in their campuses.<ref name="dnaindia.com"/>
== Activities ==
The petition organised by Pinjra Tod was submitted to the DCW on 10 October 2015<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indian-women-push-back-against-campus-curfews/2015/10/21/6b739680-727e-11e5-ba14-318f8e87a2fc_story.html|title=Indian women push back against campus curfews|last=Lakshmi|first=Rama|date=2015-10-22|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=12 September 2017 |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> and was preceded on 8 October by a protest march in the North Campus of Delhi University to symbolically reclaim the night.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/pinjra-tod-fighting-against-discriminatory-directives-of-delhi-colleges-1121179.html|title='Pinjra Tod' fighting against discriminatory directives of Delhi colleges|work=News18|access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref>
Reacting to a claim by [[Smriti Irani]], the [[Minister of Human Resource Development]] who had said "women in India are not told what to wear, whom to meet and where to go",<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Women-in-India-free-says-Smriti-Irani-booed/articleshow/49867251.cms |title=Women in India free, says Smriti Irani; booed - Times of India |work=The Times of India |access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref> on 24 October 2015, Pinjra Tod called for a protest at her ministry offices. Titled "FYI Smriti Irani", it saw the minister presented with copies of rule-books from various hostels.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34919731 |title=Indian rules: Women educate 'ignorant' Smriti Irani - BBC News |work=BBC News |date=26 November 2015 |access-date= 24 June 2021}}</ref>
On 16 December 2015, Pinjra Tod organised a multi-city protest called {{lang|hi|Bus Teri Meri, Chal Saheli}},<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/they-sang-they-laughed-they-conquered-how-a-group-of-angry-women-reclaimed-their-space-in-the-society-pinjra-tod-patriarcy-hostel-rules-deadlines-delhi-pune-chandigarh-patiala/1/549417.html|title=A simultaneous protest in seven cities against hostel rules imposed after December 16, was highly inspiring|access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref> three years after the [[2012 Delhi gang rape]]. The idea was to use public transport at night and reconfigure public spaces which are always already assumed to be posing a danger to women. The initiative challenged the [[Patriarchy|patriarchal]] ideology which imagines women only in terms of violence in the discourse of violation of security.<ref name=scroll2015>{{cite web |url=https://scroll.in/article/776327/three-years-after-delhi-rape-women-across-india-take-bus-rides-after-dark-to-assert-their-rights |title=Three years after Delhi rape, women across India take bus rides after dark to assert their rights |date=17 December 2015 |access-date= 24 June 2021}}</ref> Parallel demonstrations took place in [[Allahabad]], [[Kolkata]], [[Pune]], [[Bangalore]], Delhi, [[Darjeeling]], [[Chandigarh]] and [[Patiala]].<ref name=scroll2015/> Similar protests were repeated in December 2016, where women were seen in the heart of the capital, [[Connaught Place, New Delhi]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/staging-plays-campaign-in-buses-to-remember-nirbhaya-today/articleshow/55999870.cms |title=Staging plays, campaign in buses to remember Nirbhaya today |website=[[The Times of India]] |date=16 December 2016 |access-date=24 June 2021}}</ref>
In February 2016, the group released a statement after charges of [[sedition]] were slapped against [[Jawaharlal Nehru University sedition row|Jawaharlal Nehru University students]]. The statement was called, "No Nation for Women," and it addressed the question of nationalism—unpacking the "anti-national/national" binary and how the very idea of nationalism is built on layers of exclusion of minorities.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.eyeartcollective.com/no-nation-for-women-pinjra-tod/|title=No Nation For Women : Pinjra Tod |date=27 February 2016 |work=EYEZINE|access-date=12 September 2017 |language=en-GB}}{{Dead link|date=July 2021}}</ref> The group answered the calls to {{lang|hi|Bharat Maata Ki Jai}}, with {{lang|hi|Bharat Ki Mata Nahi Banenge}},<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forwardpress.in/2017/08/bharat-mata-and-her-unruly-daughters/|title=Bharat Mata and her unruly daughters |last=Menon |first=Nivedita |date=25 August 2017 |work=Forward Press |access-date=12 September 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> with the end to prove how hyper-masculinity often masquerades as patriotism.
On 2 May 2016, the UGC published in ''[[The Gazette of India]]'', a letter regarding Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ugc.ac.in/ugc_notices.aspx?id=1433|title=UGC letter reg.:Prevention,prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions.(published in the Gazette of India dated 2nd, May, 2016)|website=ugc.ac.in|access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref> On 7 May 2016, the DCW issued notices to 23 universities, acting on Pinjra Tod's report.<ref name="The Quint">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thequint.com/voices/women/pinjra-tod-happy-to-have-dcw-act-but-fight-still-far-from-over|title=Pinjra Tod: Happy to Have DCW Act, but Fight Still Far From Over|work=The Quint|access-date=12 September 2017 |language=en}}</ref> Acting on the complaint submitted to the DCW by Pinjra Tod in November 2015, regarding discriminatory rules in several women's hostels in Delhi. DCW later, also issued notices to seven colleges asking for an explanation regarding why hostel curfew timings differ for men and women.<ref name="dnaindia.com"/><ref name="The Quint"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theladiesfinger.com/pinjra-tod-interview/|title=Pinjra Tod Breaks a Lock: Delhi Commission for Women Issues Notice to Universities |website=The Ladies Finger |last=Bhasin |first=Shivani |date=11 May 2016 |language=en-US |access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref> Pinjra Tod undertook a "night march" in North Campus against the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections, protesting against the violent nature of electoral politics on campus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/night-march-against-dusu-elections/article29386861.ece |title=Night march against DUSU elections |date=11 September 2019 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
== Public art  ==
In September 2015, within weeks of the movement's inception, there was wall art and graffiti painted across North Campus, Delhi University, featuring Pinjra Tod's name and pictures of birds escaping from cages. One of the founders of Pinjra Tod, which first became a public entity via a Facebook page, said that the creators of the work were unknown.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://scroll.in/article/755709/heres-why-graffiti-on-delhi-university-walls-is-exhorting-women-hostellers-to-break-the-locks|title=Here's why graffiti on Delhi University walls is exhorting women hostellers to 'break the locks'|last=Jain|first=Mayank|work=Scroll.in|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-US}}</ref>
On 21 September 2015, two Pinjra Tod activists claimed to have received a phone call from a man who said he was a student of Satyawati College and a member of [[Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad]] (ABVP). He had got their phone number from posters they had pasted on top of others at the Wall of Democracy. Objecting to the way in which their actions had obscured other posters, the man allegedly threatened to beat up the women activists if they repeated their actions. ABVP said that the caller did not speak on behalf of the organisation and that they had no objection to Pinjra Tod or the posters put up by it. Pinjra Tod filed a [[First Information Report]] and produced a new poster saying "You can't lock the walls".<ref name="timesofindia.indiatimes.com"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-charges-fly-thick-and-fast-as-pinjra-tod-campaign-on-campus-takes-an-ugly-turn/|title=Delhi: Charges fly thick and fast as Pinjra Tod campaign on campus takes an ugly turn|date=2015-09-23|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/pinjra-tod-members-file-fir/article7678863.ece|title=Pinjra Tod members file FIR|last=Sebastian|first=Kritika Sharma|date=2015-09-23|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
A year later, Pinjra Tod campaigners organised a "graffiti drive" at Ambedkar University that protested a wide range of social matters, not all related to women and/or their hostels. Their work was then challenged with anti-feminist graffiti, leading them to respond with further examples.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Ambedkar-University-girls-give-fitting-reply-to-anti-feminist-comments-via-graffiti/articleshow/54736605.cms|title=Ambedkar University girls give fitting reply to anti-feminist comments via graffiti - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-09-12}}</ref>
On 23 September 2016, Pinjra Tod had organised a night march and vigil in North Campus to end sexist diktats and discriminatory hostel rules, which was allegedly disrupted by ABVP activists.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Pinjra-Tod-rails-against-harassment-by-ABVP/articleshow/54966249.cms|title=Pinjra Tod rails against 'harassment' by ABVP - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-09-12}}</ref> Pinjra Tod later released a video to substantiate its claim.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newsclick.in/students-collective-pinjratod-fights-back-abvp |title=Student's Collective 'Pinjratod' Fights Back ABVP |date=21 Oct 2016 |author=Apurva Chaudhry |access-date= 24 June 2021}}</ref>
Following the disqualification (later overturned) of Lakshya, the drama society of [[Kamala Nehru College]], for using words like ''bra'' and ''panty'' in their play at a theatre festival organised by [[Sahitya Kala Parishad]] on 13 February 2017, members of Pinjra Tod protested by performing a piece titled "An Ode to Bra, Panty and the [[Sahitya Kala Parishad|Sahitya Kala Academy]]". They also hung bras on the outer wall of the [[Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra|Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts]], where the performance took place, to protest the stigmatisation of women's undergarments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/kamla-nehru-college-students-hang-bras-on-wall-to-protest-get-disqualification-rolled-back/story-1VtDPKNcLwL8T3ifkPy8JK.html|title=Students hang bras on wall to protest, get disqualification rolled back|date=2017-02-01|newspaper=Hindustan Times|access-date=2017-02-18|language=en}}</ref>
==Internal dissent==
On 20 February 2019, a group of women issued a statement announcing that they were leaving the movement because it was not inclusive or properly representative. Claiming "Pinjra Tod is an organisation of [[Savarna (Hinduism)|Savarna Hindu]] women and like all other Savarna organisations it has failed women from marginalised race, castes and religion", they argued that the emotional and physical work of [[Muslims|Muslim]] women and those from the [[Scheduled Castes]], [[Scheduled Tribes]] and [[Other Backwards Class]]es had been exploited by Pinjra Tod and that the movement should be addressing wider issues of social abuse and harassment rather than concentrating on those related to gender. Referencing women's voices emboldened by the [[#MeToo movement]], the leavers said "Thus, to Savarna feminists and Savarna women's organisations, we are no longer going to be fascinated by your sisterhood circles and [[tokenism]] inclusivity. Your Time is Up too."<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://livewire.thewire.in/gender-and-sexuality/pinjra-tod-your-time-is-up-why-bahujan-tribal-and-muslim-women-are-quitting-the-collective/|title=Why Some Bahujan, Muslim and Tribal Students are Quitting Pinjra Tod|date=18 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gawali|first=Sandhya|date=October 2019|title=Unpacking sexual harassment of women in the context of the #MeToo and the Pinjra Tod campaigns: feminist understandings|journal=Jindal Global Law Review|volume=10|issue=2|pages=287–302|doi=10.1007/s41020-019-00108-y|s2cid=213571429|issn=0975-2498}}</ref> A few days later, Pinjra Tod issued a response countering the charges raised.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://livewire.thewire.in/gender-and-sexuality/pinjra-tod-responds-to-allegations-of-being-non-inclusive/|title = Pinjra Tod Responds to Allegations of Being Non-Inclusive|date = 22 March 2019}}</ref>
==Activists' arrests==
On 23 May 2020, two activists associated with the movement were interrogated by the [[Delhi Police]] Special Cell and arrested from their homes in connection to the [[2020 Delhi riots]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-police-arrest-two-women-from-pinjra-tod-over-feb-protest-6424531/|title=Delhi Police arrest two women from Pinjra Tod over February protest|date=24 May 2020}}</ref> Devangana Kalita and [[Natasha Narwal]], the arrested students, were [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] scholars at Jawaharlal Nehru University and had [[Citizenship Amendment Act protests|opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019]]. Senior police officials later told reporters that they had been arrested on charges of 'obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions' through use of force. As per media reports, the [[first information report]] had not reflected this.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/rights/pinjra-tod-arrest-delhi-police-jafrabad|title = Delhi Police Re-Arrest Pinjra Tod Women Activists as Court Grants Them Bail}}</ref> A statement released by the group following the arrests stated, 'We strongly condemn this hounding of democratic activists and students being carried out by the state and appeal to the student community and all democratic minded citizens to remain vigilant and strong in our struggles in face of this repression.'<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pinjratod/posts/2956697051083326|title=Pinjra Tod: Break the Hostel Locks|website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>
==Criticism==
It was claimed that the group reflected the nepotistic tendencies of the privileged by reiterating the views and perceptions of the elite savarna group within Indian society<ref name="auto"/> and thus failed to achieve the reforms it seeks.
== References ==
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==External links==
* {{facebook|pinjratod}}
{{Campus violence in India}}
[[Category:Social movements in India]]
[[Category:Activism in India]]