Sex Workers Protest; Vandalize Government Office
Patna: April 4, 2007
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Sex Workers Protest
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Photo by Shashi Uttam |
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Following the blacklisting of 'Janhit', an NGO, by the state health department, dozens of female sex workers in Patna on Wednesday demonstrated outside the house of Health Minister Chandramohan Rai by chanting anti-government slogans and later vandalized the office of the Health Committee president K. K. Pathak in Sheikhpura, the police said.
As reported, more than 50 women arrived at the house of the Health Minister and demanded 'Janhit' be taken out of the blacklist. Rai met with them and assured them to look into their demands.
The procession then moved to the office of the Health Committee president in Sheikhpura where they demanded to see Pathak. When he refused to meet with them, women forced their entries into the office by breaking the glass doors and windows. They also vandalized the office damaging furniture and other items.
Security guards used light force to get the protestors out of the window but the director of 'Janhit' Dr. Minakshi Swaraj said at least half a dozen women were brutally assaulted by the security guards and had to be given medical treatment.
Health department officials, however, said that the women, many of them in inebriated conditions, attacked the health committee chairperson's office with batons and pelted stones on officials.
"This was a well-orchestrated attack on the officials and was meant to malign the image of the health department, department spokesperson Sarita Singh said adding Dr. Swaraj had earlier threatened to take actions against the health officials and had vowed to file a lawsuit against the department on false charges.
Five women were arrested on charges of trespassing and vandalizing, the police said.
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