A two-day self-defense workshop ‘Mission Sahasi’, was organised by Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Kolkata at the Sports Authority of India complex on September 14 and 15. The workshop was aimed to empower women with the skills needed to protect their dignity and safety.
The workshop saw the participation of around 300 young women, who were trained under the guidance of renowned martial arts expert, Grandmaster Shifuji Shaurya Bhardwaj.
The program was inaugurated in the esteemed presence of BJP leader Rupa Ganguly, National Organising Secretary of ABVP, Ashish Chauhan and National Secretary, Shalini Verma.
Mission Sahasi is part of ABVP’s ongoing efforts to equip young women with self-defense techniques, boosting their confidence in the face of adversity. Speaking at the event, Ashish Chauhan emphasised the importance of this initiative and said, “Mission Sahasi enables women to stand strong, equipping them with the skills for self-defense and the resilience to retaliate against any challenge with unwavering courage.”
Ashish Chauhan also said that, the RG Kar Medical College incident, as well as the widespread protests in Sandeshkhali, catalysed the need for this initiative. He also highlighted that Mission Sahasi, which was launched in 2019, has already trained over 1.5 million girls across India in self-defense programs.
Glimpse of #MissionSAHASI training camp in Kolkata equipping the girls and women with essential self-defense skills for their safety and protection during SOS.
Mission Sahasi embodies #ABVP's unwavering commitment to Nari Shakti. pic.twitter.com/3pn1Ed9elj
— Mission Sahasi (@MissionSahasi) September 15, 2024
‘Mission Sahasi’ initiative is a direct response to the rising instances of violence against women, including recent incident in West Bengal, (RG Kar Medical College case).
It is to be noted that on August 9, a woman post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in semi-naked condition on the fourth floor in the seminar hall of state-run RG KAR Medical College and Hospital. The medical examination revealed the victim sustained external and internal injuries in the sexual assault and was murdered.
This workshop is seen as a pivotal step towards empowering women, particularly in West Bengal, where violence against women has been on the rise.
ABVP National Secretary, Shalini Verma, stated that “Mission Sahasi initiative is an extremely significant step towards empowering the young women of West Bengal. The heinous crime committed against a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College has shaken the entire nation. ABVP volunteers are protesting on the streets, demanding justice for the victim. At the same time, they have launched the Mission Sahasi campaign in West Bengal which enables the women of the state to learn self-defense skills and fight against the criminal elements in difficult situations”.
“ABVP has provided self-defense skills to girls since 2018 and trained more than 15 lakhs students across the nation. Hundreds of girls from schools, medical, paramedical colleges and nursing institutes participated in the Mission Sahasi training camp of ABVP. They will be trained to further teach the girls of their respective campus or district. ABVP aims to find a logical solution to the ongoing problem in West Bengal,” she further said.
Tulsi Sarkar, member of ABVP National Executive explained that over the course of four sessions, the participants learned various self-defense techniques that will prove invaluable in protecting themselves in dangerous situations. Sarkar also criticised the West Bengal Government, claiming that the administration has failed to curb the growing crimes against women. She stressed that immediate action is needed to address this issue.
Rashmi Samant, Youth leader and former president of Oxford University said “Mission Sahasi is a great initiative of the ABVP that aims to provide girls a better life with a strong and fearless approach. This training is a continuous process and will create a huge impact among the girl students of Bengal. We are hopeful that Bengal will come out of this problem and ABVP will play a meaningful role in the path towards making women fearless.
Notably, ‘Mission Sahasi’ initiative is a significant effort by ABVP to foster a safer environment for women, empowering them to fights against the criminal mind-set people.
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