On Wednesday afternoon, two of The Quint’s journalists went to Delhi University’s North Campus to ask students questions about the ambiguity of sexual consent. What the journalists didn’t know was that it would land them in a police thana.
The two women were pursuing a story for The Quint’s #MakeOutInIndia campaign which aims to open a healthy debate on all matters of sex and sexuality – no euphemisms attached. However, in the process of talking to willing, mature adults who were speaking on camera, the journalists were gheraoed by DUSU President Satender Awana and his clique. Abuses, mob tactics such as forming a threatening circle around them followed, while the DUSU bunch kept reiterating that what our journalists were doing was “immoral”. The altercation led to Maurice Nagar Police Station, where the situation was ultimately mitigated.
While The Quint is proud of the stand its journalists took, it also realises more than ever how important it is to have a campaign like #MakeOutInIndia, where healthy debates such as these are openly encouraged – not shushed and clamped down.
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