Dear People in Power (for
I feel quite Powerless),
I have been quiet from a
while on something that is conspicuously gnawing at my fabric, as the modesty,
life and aspirations of a young girl have been slithered and sacrificed at the
altar like goats slaughtered to please the deities of ancient times. I noticed
but turned away as gory details of a gruesome crime flashed across my screen
via Twitter, Facebook and messages. A coward’s attempt to close the eyes to feel
that a problem does not exist-a lame mechanism of self defence! I gave up on
the newspapers and the news a while back. Some people chose not to be a part
of certain things or speak, for in words they live and words allow the
realization to sink in. But sometimes peace that you seek creates a chaos within.
I have a three years old
daughter. She smiles with impish beauty, she prances about in her loveliness,
she dramatises every situation with her adorable whims and looks like a divine
flower that I embrace at every possible opportunity. She attracts attention and
people with her non-chalant allure. When I look at her now, I fear. I think of
the parents who painstakingly brought up that twenty three year old for so many years. I
think of how she would be just as precious, weaving just as many dreams in her
parents’ eyes, being just as much solace to their weary minds, meandering in
the worldly cares. How she must have been a responsible adult, working towards
some goals! How one moment of a decision taken, turned her life irrevocably to
death! It matters little perhaps to them whether the daughter's rapists are hanged or life
imprisoned, their own life is now like an every minute death.
I shudder within. I cannot
be around my bundle of joy 24*7. Someday she would move out of my domain and
watchful range, into a world that is unknown. She would tread to live her own
experiences and face the wolves with hidden agendas. Would I be able to make
her brave enough? Even if I did, would I be able to ensure she is safe enough
and her strength not tested beyond the limits of endurance like happened with this
young girl who succumbed to death for no fault of her own?
What must be passing
through her mind in her last moments? “I wish we had not taken that bus? What if
we had got a little more delayed and that bus just passed by? I wish there were
more people on board? I wish one of them would have listened to my pleas and be
moved by my helpless cries of pain...” My mind goes numb thinking how God
allows a young girl to face what she did.
As I took a shower today,
the news of her death could not cleanse me off the muck that is leaving me
disgusted. Flashes of a girl who wants to live because like all of us, she had
just one life too, kept playing on my mind. How a hand that must be wanting to
reach out just fell on the side of the bed, giving up! The thought every time
chokes me till I have to breathe deeply to be able to breathe again.
Rapes have been occurring
in this country since forever. Something a woman protects and treasures, her
body, is just snatched away by brutes, without her consent, by greedy, lust
driven men who know no gentleness but cruel force. A man cannot imagine how
this could scar her body and a woman who has just experienced happy, consensual
sex cannot imagine how it kills the mind. But then one can’t either imagine the
brutality here of the savage minds that did not get satisfaction enough by
ripping apart her body and had to insert a rod through her to satiate some
beastly urges. How can civilization turn so grim and such an oxymoron? What can
be done to such deranged minds? How can someone even possibly think of giving
them a fair trial?
A part of me has always
wished for super powers. Today I wish I had some by which I could pick up these
hard-nosed characters from the protective government walls, strip them off all
clothes and put them up in some open ground, allowing the hungry and enraged common
man to do with them in front of one and all, whatever they like. Sadist it may
be, I want to watch as angry men, women and children alike, come forward with
knives, belts, stones, acid bottles and whatever else in their hands, to do these scavengers. I don’t want to think of them in terms of
somebody’s sons or fathers at the moment, for they never can really be.
How would a private death
sentence serve as a deterrent to an uneducated, unread man on the street, who
gives in to his baser instinct any time he sees a woman he can latch on, to
derive momentary bodily pleasure? These men don’t read the newspapers, they don’t
know of what MIGHT happen to them if they are caught. They just know there’s a
helpless woman out there and they CAN get away. Such people form the crux of
these repulsive crimes. The punishment needs to be just as brutal and public so
that it makes news just as the protests are. Everyone should talk about it. So that
even someone like me (who gave up on reading newspapers because they only spoke
of how little girls as old as a few years are raped) knows just as well as the
milkman who comes to deliver milk at my house and watches my daughter with supposed
doting eyes playing in the compound. I don’t trust any man, neither should you.
I agree with women when
they say “Don’t tell us what to wear, tell boys not to take them off our bodies”.
Totally accepted, but then can we honestly expect a government officer at each
street corner at each hour of the day to ensure some letchy eyes do not get
away with stripping us of our dignity? We cannot compare ourselves to the
Western countries and expect the same amount of securities just because we are
being educated in the same way or being flooded with brands in our markets. We must
remember that till a decade back, this nation still had women covered up and
men on the street possessed eyes that were adapted to watching the same. I am
not justifying the rapists, I am trying to explain to you their psyche.
In the recent times, the almost-elite who have easy and ample access to skin show in movies, advertisements, porn, etc, also have reasonable sex education and exposure to girls they meet
at social dos. The lot that gets provoked to hideousness
often constitutes the sweat-drenched, grubby man on the street, who perhaps has
all the clippings in his cheap mobile but looks at these clean women from far,
waiting to catch one in a vulnerable moment.
I am not saying that rapes
and molestations do not occur in richer or other stratas of the society or with
three year olds, the burkha clad or the sixty years ones. But then we need to understand
and work on the deranged mentality of some who get excited seeing flesh for
they are not used to it. We need to warn the girls to be careful. Yes, it is
totally their fault and not ours if someone eyes us with vulgarity in his
vision but we must not forget caution.
It would take a while for
mentalities to change even if awareness spreads and laws are passed. Till then,
the girls must not expect to be protected but learn to protect themselves not
just with weapons but with sensibility. I have witnessed how it's being upheld that
all girls must carry pepper sprays or knives in bags. I was recently travelling
by train with my family when a group of marriage revellers had some twenty year
olds indulging in merry making. Suddenly one of the girls, who lost in a battle
of words with one of the guys, decided to make the score even and used the
pepper spray in her bag to ward him off. The entire coach within a few minutes
was coughing and we had to rush out to catch breath. My daughter vomited and an
asthmatic aged man had almost hit an emergency point just because a young girl
wanted to prove some whims. That spray could have come in the hands of a child
too.
Don’t mindlessly suggest
solutions. Don’t limit but do set borders. Don’t mock the efforts of the
government to shut off discotheques post 1a.m. Whatever can be done must be
done to first ensure order. Once established there can be organisation. Individuals
can only express their wrath, it is the government body that can act. Provoke them
to act, not to suppress. Speak against corrupt leaders but check yourself too
when as men you crack lewd jokes or as women allow men to objectify you. And I
so wonder about the politicians-not satisfied with filling their corrupt
pockets, how do they manage to live with such guilty consciences of having the
power and yet do nothing?
Delhi boasts of the
infrastructure but not structuring of minds yet. It is a city reeking in
show-off, youngsters willing to seek attention at all costs and people moving
at too fast a pace of life and morals to catch up. Teach your daughters to
dress according to the time and place. Till we can’t really be safe, at least
we can try not to be sorry. It’s NOT the skirts that get girls raped. But we
won’t let them use it as an excuse to let go of those who do it. I will wear
skirts but I will also be responsible enough to see if it is not attracting the
wrong attention at the wrong time and place.
It is not the time to
point fingers but time to join hands. As women accept awareness, caution and
sense; as men accept respect and responsibility of being the stronger sex (at
least physically) and protect. It’s a sad state of affairs if we have to fear
for our girls every time we have to have them away from our eyes even for a few
hours. We must talk of abuse at whatever level we face at the hands of men-at
schools, colleges, workplaces, etc. Every time we let go, we let them believe
they can get away with it. It only makes them more confident. Speak out. Reach out.
Here’s hoping against
hope, things will change and during our lifetimes so that we live to see it
happening. I pray her death does not go waste and this case serves as an example for generations to come.
Just Another Common Voice.
20 comments:
agree to every point you made......and that cell phone stuff- strongly agree.
agree to your every point
We as a society and a nation are on the verge of complete failure. The idea of doing something about it is noble but how does one oppose this nexus or empire of pure evil.
Totally with you. You have covered every possible aspect and I agree, "until we can't really be safe, we should at least try not to be sorry."
If this is going to be the situation, I would want a girl child for the fear of raising her in this world. I know this is paranoia but it seems justified. :(
Hoping for a miracle that would ensure our country to be a safe place for women.
Keirthana
Suruchi,
A well balanced expression on what is state of affairs. I fully agree with you that instead of pointing fingers at each other we need to join hands to see that such beastly act does not happen ever again. I have so far not said anything on this issue in my blogspace but intend to do so soon.
Take care
very well-expressed! Agree with you completely!
I so agree to this. Our rights come with responsibilities and we cannot just shrug them off for some govt agency to take care. My mind is equally numb i wish i had super powers i would have done the same as you suggested.
I so agree with all of your points...this post definitely shreds light towards the anger and gives some direction...We can't wait for govt or police to take action for all you know...they are too busy in scams and rapes themselves
We really are hoping for a Miracle na?
All fingers crossed!
i came here (in blog) after a long time to say something. Just after I clicked on My Say, I saw that you had just said and left... again together.. few thoughts..
Sad sad sad
Agreed all the times when there is any chance of a change , the biggest problem that comes is Pointing fingers at each other, Blaming this or that
Things wont change till EACH one of us is together ..
Sad situation
Bikram's
Everything you have said is so so true...hope we reach there someday, when i will no longer be scared of raising a daughter.
It is true that changing the attitude of men is impossible. So as long as we are in India and we are aware of what can happen here, sensibility and sense of dressing and protecting oneself is the weapon we can give our daughters.We say education is the best gift to kids. Yes but in todays times the weapons to protect oneself is also another important lesson. We should teach our sons that all girls are like their mother and deserve respect. The lesson starts from home. Very well said Suruchi. I also try not to think about Amanat. But it gnaws at my conscience and my mouth goes dry even thinking about it. When I was a kid, uncles and male neighbors were not suspected when they pulled my cheeks. But today, even the old man next door who innocently gives my niece a chocolate is viewed with suspicion. That is the state of affairs. Sad. I hope the awareness is passed on to all girls.
I share your fear and helplessness....pointing at others does not help....we all are responsible...
Very well balanced thoughts on the current disorder and chaos that each one of us is fighting to quell. The first thought that comes to me when I read a disturbing piece of news is how do I protect my child. We individually are responsible for our own safety. Or we need to equip our children with the right tools to safeguard their interests. I have absolutely no hopes when it comes to awakening, or the restructuring or the changing of mindsets or the laws. It is a pessimistic outlook but its better to be safe than sorry
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Suruchi,
Completely agree with every word that u said.
A radical change is the need of the hour. We need to be ready to pay whatever it takes to bring this change. If need be we must be ready to forgo humanitarian grounds to punish these bastards. A public punishment to such criminals is a must to set an example for anyone who even dares to think of such an act.
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