Wherever you go, you are stalked. Even a morning walk in the park
is scary with these scavengers out for lust. They are in markets, buses; wait
for an auto on the roadside and you’ll see many alike, scanning you from head
to toe. Their lewd comments, lecherous stares make you uncomfortable, irritated
and angry at the same time. But what more can you do than to simply ignore
them? When you raise your voice, shamefully they snap back at you “madam,
kya baat hai?”, “kya kiya? Batao…”(with a wry smirk). And we women
shy away…what else are we taught, to stay quiet, bear with things, act decently…and
if we shout back at them with a reply, it brings us more of the shame. But I
say, we must shout back, raise our voices and get such rascals nabbed. Why do
we wait for so long and why do people ignore such things, do we wait for their
last resort-RAPES? And why is a woman so scared of being a victim more than
these culprits, of being RAPISTS? Doesn’t the whole equation sound absurd?
Hasn’t the society in many ways already contributed to raise its men and even
the so-called juveniles with a wrong value system?
Though today we call ourselves a free country, where women are supposed
to be treated as equals, basis our theories. But what about men who would fight
on women being given reservations in parliaments, public transports, offices,
who can’t take a female as a boss or their superior. And amongst them only deep
down somewhere is that sick mentality rooted of being a chauvinist. Who look at
women as commodity and subject her to their irrational temperament, behaviour
and conduct. They tame their women in a way that the seeds of patriarch system
and sowed, passed on and in a way women of one generation ensure that the same
is passed to the next generation.
Also that’s why none of these men would ever step forward to stop any
of the cracked heads with malicious intent from lurking around and stalking
women. And when inefficient police officials cannot nab the culprits and teach
them a lesson of their lives, women are blamed for their outfits, conduct and
presence in odd hours. But why aren’t these odd hours and conduct issues subject
to these nymphomaniac psychotic rapists? Does it mean women should forever be
subject to burqa and ghungat days once again? Whatever time slots
and areas these criminals choose to molest, grope or attack women with acid, it
is the fault of women found there and must be declared a no-women’s land?
Delhi has always been categorized unsafe for women and so far
nothing has been done to make it any safer. But, slowly and gradually other
city, states and whole of the nation too has fallen prey to such acts of
dishonour towards women. You can look at the statistics of nationals and
foreign national cases, what shame they bring to our country. Or easiest to do
is a random sampling- ask any girl and each of them will have a few such
situations when she was molested in a busy bus, at the bus stop, in the market,
at a pub…any and every place. Definitely, a girl must always walk in groups,
carry pepper sprays, dress decently, have the police number handy and what not.
But till when and how long? Is there an end to this forever vulnerability? Who
should she really rely on in this male dominated society? Is this development?
Where are we headed?
The whole system is ridiculous…
And the statement that political and religious leaders in India
give, about women having Chinese food, calling it all an impact and influence
of western culture for villages never had such incidences, some even quoted the
abduction of Sita in Ramayana, indicating that women should not cross their
limits, and for the one's who have been victim to such heinous acts were even
suggested to have begged the rapists and called them brothers, so these animals
would have let her go.
So, here we are... in the country of those who worship goddesses,
misbehave with their own women in houses, want complete patriarchal controls
but cannot take charge of their own lustful desires. Instead they have
suggestive and baseless statements to make to women whom they consider as the
'weaker sex'. No wonder why people of this country indulge in female feticide,
because no girl child, no females, no rapes, no population… a planet of men…so
that the men can reign, by their laws…
The Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi
