 Ballygunge Constituent Branch

Roshni  January - March 2021

Ballygunge Constituent Branch Webinar on Raja Ram Mohan Roy and the Prohibition of Sati

By Indrani Sengupta, MIC – Art and Culture

Prof Sakti Sadhan Mukherjee spoke on Raja Ram Mohan Roy at a webinar organised by

Ballygunge Constituent Branch on 6th March

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a pioneer among social reformers who thought of the safety of women. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century a horrendous crime was prevalent in the name of religious practice. Young widows were burnt alive with their dead husbands. It was known as 'sati'.The hands and feet of the girls were tied and they were thrown into the burning pyre. Drums and gongs were beaten loudly to suppress their heartrending screams.It was the worst form of violence against women that could be perpetrated. Violence is still being perpetrated in different forms. On the occasion of commemoration of Women's Safety Week we recalled the legacy of this great social reformer who fought relentlessly for safety of women.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy read the religious books thoroughly and found no religious basis for the cruel practice that was prevalent in the name of religion. The task was not easy because traditional Hindu society supported it and the British rulers didn't want to interfere with native rituals. Raja Ram Mohan Roy believed it was a social evil that had to be removed on the grounds of humanism and basic right to life.He had a group of enlightened supporters, but traditional Hindu society stood like a rock.He was not a man to give up.Through meetings, protests, petitions and visits to England he succeeded in gettingthe Prohibition of Sati Act passed on 4th December 1829.It was a red letter day for women’s safety.

Safety of Women is not a new concept and pioneers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy must not be forgotten when we talk of such laws.His path breaking fight inspired later social reformers to protest against cruelty and violence against women and several laws have been passed subsequently. Violence has not stopped so our concern for safety of women is great.No law alone can stop it so A.I.W.C is relentlessly advocating Safety of Women throughout the year through various programmes to bring about a change in mindset.

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