It is heart-breaking and blood-boiling to see two bright students Snigdha and Apoorva being penalized for raising their voice against repeated sexual harassment in their college.

Their college, Symbiosis Hyderabad, like many other universities in India, did not have a compliant, functioning Internal Complaints Committee, which is a legal requirement for all universities according to a UGC law drafted back in 2016. The future of these two brave students has now been jeopardized and rests on a court case against the college.

Their crime? Speaking up against sexual abuse, asking for safe education that every student in India is rightfully entitled to.

The picture shown above is the journey of the students in their fight against sexual harassment, as caricatured by Sharath Ravishankar. See the whole thread enlarged in this series of posts.

5000+ of us are fighting for safer campuses now but there's no response by decision makers to the growing menace of sexual harassment in universities.

And students like Snigdha and Apoorva are facing the brunt of the faulty POSH law that has been failing India's students repeatedly. 

We demand a stricter implementation of the POSH law in universities. Let's not let apathetic colleges keep playing with dreams and hopes of India's students. Make universities more accountable; join me in asking for compliant, functional ICCs in every college. 

Here's how we can help the students:

- Share this petition far and wide to let the decision makers know that the students are not alone and that we shall continue fighting.

- Write about this issue, talk about this issue. Reach out to those around you who need help. Here's a list of available resources to help you and get you started.

I welcome everyone to reach out to me in the comment section, in case you have suggestions or outreach to propel this cause. India's students are counting on us for #SaferCampusesNOW.

#TimesUp