Visakhapatnam: Nationwide bike expedition for a cause

Visakhapatnam: With a mission to gather one lakh signatures, Men Welfare Trust (MWT) in association with Save Indian Family (SIF) embarked upon the first-ever nationwide bike ride, advocating the establishment of a Men’s Welfare Commission in India.

Having commenced their journey on May 26 from Gurugram, bikers Dr Amjadkhan Nadim Shaikh and Sandeep Pawaria plan to cover over 15,000-km across the country to raise awareness about critical issues affecting men such as the rising male suicides and the misuse of gender-based laws, domestic violence against men, parental alienation, etc.

After passing cities including Delhi, Lucknow, Patna, Siliguri, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar, the bikers reached Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Speaking after reaching Visakhapatnam, Amjadkhan Nadim Shaikh said, “This initiative is not just about raising awareness but also about driving tangible change. By signing and sharing the petition, we invite individuals from all walks of life to join us in our quest for gender equality and justice for all.”Welcoming the duo into the city, one of the founders of Save Family Harmony, Andhra Pradesh Chapter of SIF D Srinivasa Rao emphasised the urgent need for setting up the Men’s Welfare Commission and dedicated Women and Child Welfare Commission for the benefit of children. “Today, thousands of the men in the country are suffering financially, physically, mentally and morally due to the gender-biased laws, which are broadly being misused by a section of women and some set of legal practitioners. This ride for Men’s Commission initiative seeks to resolve the challenges confronting men,” he shared.

As part of the next leg of their expedition, the riders pass via Guntur, Chennai, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari, Thrissur, Goa, Kolhapur, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Jammu, Kargil, Leh, Manali, Shimla, Dehradun and Haridwar.

The bike ride is supported by Change.org petition titled ‘Support the Ride for Men’s Commission initiative to address men’s issues in India’, which calls for the commencement of a commission dedicated for men’s welfare. The bikers along with the members of SIF AP chapter have been gathering signatures from the locals.