ON May 31, 2014, several mass organisations including the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Janwadi Lekhak Sangh (JLS), Janwadi Mahila Samiti (JMS), Jan Natya Manch (JNM) and Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest demonstration at the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan against the horrific gang rape and murder of two teenage girls in Badaun district. More than 100 protesters gathered near the Gyarah Murti and marched towards the UP Bhawan, raising angry slogans and demanding justice and stringent action against the culprits. The protestors charged that the ghastly rape cum murder of two young, minor OBC girls in a village of Badaun district in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was further vitiated by the inaction of the UP Police, even after the villagers complained to them that the girls were missing. The protesters demanded that there must also be an enquiry into the role of the police who have been guilty and are actionable under section 166A of the new anti-rape law. A major demand was that the Samajwadi Party government of the state should take vigorous steps to stop the ongoing criminalisation of society and the breakdown of law and order in the state, as it is having grave consequences for women in UP .Apart from Badaun, there had been horrific rapes in Azamgarh, Etawah and Greater NOIDA as well over the preceding three days. The culprit must be identified and punished, whoever they may be and the investigation should take place in a time bound manner. Even though the chief minister of UP, Akhilesh Yadav, has promised a fast track court to settle the case, the protestors said he must immediately move ahead so that justice is immediately delivered in the Badaun case. Addressing the protest dharna following the demonstration, Sudha Sundarraman, all-India vice president of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), pointed to the grave anti-women attitude of the UP government and the Samajwadi Party leadership in the form of frequent misogynic statements, as well as general apathy among the police force toward such cases of crimes against women. Representatives from various mass organisations also addressed the dharna.