Civil society organisations demand CBI probe into snooping

Civil society organisations organised a protest here today against alleged illegal surveillance of a woman by Gujarat government.
"We strongly condemn the illegal, unconstitutional and essentially anti-women snooping by Gujarat government as revealed in the recent media expose," a statement issued by the organisations said today.
The civil society organisations which included Ahmedabad Community Foundation, Janvikas, Anhad and Peoples' Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), among others also demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident since it concerns the future of the country's democracy and its polity.
"We collectively demand that a CBI inquiry should be initiated in the case at the earliest as it concerns the future of our democracy and polity", Shabnam Hasmi of NGO Anhad said.

The statement also said illegal surveillance is a serious crime, a violation of constitutional rights and when done to a woman, especially to probe her personal life and relationships, it's stalking and violence against women.
The civil society organisations said the truth about alleged Gujarat government-sponsored stalking must be known.
"The conspiracy of silence around it must be broken and its patriarchal defences may be welcomed by khaps and the Sangh's moral policing mobs but never by common citizens and women," the statement said.