[CURE] Nationwide No Ragging Day on October 11th

NO RAGGING DAY: Your participation makes a difference

Once again, shocking cases of ragging have been reported from various parts of the country in the past few days, involving deaths of several innocent students, severe physical assaults & injuries, mental trauma, mob & campus violence etc. Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education (CURE) calls for a nationwide observance of

"No Ragging Day" on Thursday, October 11th, 2007.

The day is relevant to not only students but all of us who are concerned about dignity of life.

This day coincides with the tragic death of Amit Sahai, an engineering student from NIT Jalandhar who committed suicide by jumping in front of a running train on the same day in the year 2005 distressed and depressed due to the severe physical and sexual abuse at hands of his seniors.

AMIT SAHAI'S SUICIDE NOTE:
"You call it ragging but it is humiliation and should be banned. It is, but everyday students are ragged in the college. They are made naked and ordered to do bad things. This all has brought me to this point. I can't tell it even to my parents. It is not justified but I can't bear it any more."

REMEMBER:
On this day, we remember all the students who have lost their lives due to ragging (31 till date), all students who were compelled to leave college and couldn't pursue higher studies, all students who suffered seriously from physical, sexual and mental torture and lost the basic human right of 'life with dignity' on name of ragging.

MANTRA:
'No more ragging, no more torture, no more deaths... In friendship, respect and fun, May the New Indian Youth Arise'

ACTIVITY:
--MUST DO--
* College students to wear white t-shirt
* Observe 2 minute silence at 11 a.m. to remember all students who lost their life due to ragging.
* Educate two of your friends about ragging and why it is wrong. Refer http://www.noragging.com/analysis/CR2007_05-16_RaggingInIndiaSummary.pdf
--ALSO DO--
* If you are a senior student, treat at least one fresher at the canteen and re-affirm your friendship.
* Put "No Ragging Day" poster (attached with this mail) on the notice board/college premises/hostel etc.

SOME FACTS:
* Ragging is not a traditional Indian custom, it was imported from the Brits pre-independence. The whole world is ragging free today, except the Indian sub-continent.
* Ragging is not harmless jokes or teasing, it has led to sexual abuse, physical injury and deaths.
* There have been more than 55 cases of ragging (including 6 suicides and 3 attempted suicides) reported in last 4 months, which is a more than three time increase over last year during the same period.
* Over the last 10 years, 31 lives were lost due to ragging.
* In all ragging cases reported, more than 30% are sexual abuse and a whooping 60% has led to serious physical injury and hospitalization.

We request all of you to sincerely observe this day and SPREAD the message.

Please send us the pictures or write-up of how you observed the day on cure@noragging.com
Do simply email your name, stream/occupation and email ID (optional) to us if you are with us in this campaign.


Thanks

Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education (CURE)

cure@noragging.com
www.noragging.com

Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education (CURE) , estd in 2001, is a non-profit organisation dedicated solely towards the elimination of ragging and promotion of more positive ways of interaction among seniors and freshers in Indian Universities and Colleges. It is the only organization world-wide maintaining data and statistics on ragging and worked closely with the Raghavan Committee (MHRD) on the report submitted to the Supreme Court of India. CURE was referenced more than 12 times in the report and provided a list of 250 ragging cases as a crucial evidence about how widespread ragging is.


For further details please contact cure@noragging.com