Cyclists to hold protest ride against assault on Delhi stand-up comedian

Cyclists in NCR are organizing a protest ride next Sunday against assaults on women, in response to the assault on one of their own
After the Nirbhaya gang rape, especially, people in the capital seem to be more particular about ensuring there’s no silence about assaults on women. Cyclists in Delhi and Gurgaon are organizing a protest ride on Sunday, called Take Back Delhi.The trigger for this was Delhi-based comedian and triathlete Vasu Primlani saying on FB that she was assaulted by an autorickshaw driver near her home on Friday night, while a few policemen and other men standing nearby did nothing to intervene.
Says Vasu, “The trigger was a physical assault on me by a scooterwala, while I was yelled at in front of cops who did nothing, culminating in physical assault: his taking my head into his hands while Delhi men looked on and did nothing. I punched him back a few times. He stole my book and left.” After she put it up online, she says, “A lot of people were aghast and also not surprised. In Delhi, assault on women is the norm, and it’s surprising when a woman actually fights back. But how many women can fight back? How many women are actually stronger than men? How about one man? How about how many women can fight against five men? What is Delhi doing to prevent women from being harmed?”
The ride, says Vasu, is a protest ride featuring experienced and amateur cyclists and other supporters. It has been initiated and supported by cycling groups, for women and their allies. “These cyclists will ride 30-70 km to protest Delhi’s treatment of women. They will converge at India Gate and ride to Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon on October 13, starting at 6am, arriving at the park at 7,” explains Vasu. Both cyclists and non-cyclists will participate – “men and women who are sick of this constant assault,” she says. “These are India’s premier cyclists and feminists (both male and female).”
The thought behind it, she says, is “Why are women assaulted daily in Delhi? Why are Delhi men not taught to respect women and honesty? Why are we constantly at the mercy of public transport where they refuse to go or extort more money all the time? When is it okay to assault a woman? Police Commissioner Bassi earlier this week said at a public forum, ‘Delhi is a safe city’, ‘Women should just accept that men are this way.’ Why does the Delhi legal administration and police not care about its women? Should we be carrying brass knuckles, guns and pepper spray, all because we are women?”
There won’t be much sloganeering, she says – “we don’t do much shouting; generally are a peaceable lot.” However, they are working out the possibility of distributing pepper spray and brass knuckles at the event. “Women have to protect ourselves, and have only real men for allies,” she reiterates. “We are cyclists. We don’t take things lying down.”