"This is a knee jerk reaction that constitutes an attack on the freedom of expression. Furthermore, the film reveals the reality of the brutality of rape without sensationalizing it. The statement made by one of the convicts in the film, is to say the least, shocking, heinous and condemnable.
"This is the attitude that was reflected in the crime by this person and others. But it cannot be denied that this is the dominant patriarchal attitude on rape in our country and has been voiced at many different levels of society and even sometimes by influential people within and outside Parliament," Sudha Sundararaman, national vice-president of AIDWA said.
"The statements made by the defense lawyers are disturbing, atrocious and hateful which will incite violence against women. FIR should be filed against them," said Sangwan.
"Instead of needlessly banning films in an undemocratic fashion, the Government would do better to proactively pursue the pending case in the Supreme Court, where shockingly even such a high profile case has gone unheard even once for over a year," AIDWA said in the statement.
The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) also opposed the banning of the documentary and said, "There is nothing new in what Mukesh Singh said. It is also not different from the opinions expressed by leaders of different political parties, head of Women Commissions and heads of RSS and VHP and Khap Panchayats etc.
"A ban is not the solution, it cannot ensure women's constitutional rights. It needs political will and social commitment," said Annie Raja, General Secretary of NFIW.