It’s #YesAllWomen Vs #NotAllMen. Women all across India are taking to hashtags on twitter to raise their unanimous voice, and not just changing the narrative of how sexuality functions in our society but also to have a united rant online against the incidents that shocked us on New Year’s Eve.
Another redundant story. They came, they molested, they escaped. And here we are again- questioning, writing, protesting against the shameful incidents that occurred (and have repetitively occurred) in the two mega cities of India.
When will this stop? We dwell deep in our reason; we question the system and blame. Blame politicians and the government, the molesters and of course, we blame the girls! Delhi and Bangalore-the two famous metro cities, one known for being the heart of India and other the Silicon Valley of India, do not know a little about women safety. All they know is sheer hooliganism. In the era that is so progressive, India is evolving backwards. From the infamous Nirbhaya case to reading everyday headlines about juvenile rape cases, we wait for justice, and now it seems endless. The shameful incident that happened on the eve of New Year in
The shameful incident that happened on the eve of New Year in Bangalore and Delhi, is a proof that women who exercise their rights to celebrate or of getting dressed the way they want to, would end up getting mauled. I wouldn’t be wrong to say, India is a democracy by day and anarchy by night.
Despite the tight security of 1500 policemen and constant assurance of “incident- free New Year”, Bangalore gave us a night of shame. The women were groped, manhandled and punished to celebrate. This shows serious loopholes in our system as the incident could have been avoided had there been a properly devised plan for the safety of girls. Also, the topping on the cake is that the assaulters are freely roaming out on the streets.
Not one case has been filed against anyone due to the lack of photographic evidence. The only sufferers are the women who are like “women in refrigerators” due to their subjugated rights and choices. And who, ultimately, is to be blamed? The police? The State? The short dresses? I believe the perpetrators and only them.
The justifications from the politicians that come with such heinous incidents are equally sickening. Samajwadi party leader Abu Azmi blamed the women and said that such incidents are bound to happen if women wear short clothes, and blamed it all on ‘westernisation’. This intelligent leader even went on to compare women with sugar and petrol and remarked that “petrol will always attract fire.” Slow claps for Mr Abu Azmi sir, please.
I believe that these incidents should no more revolve around feminism or morality but on what is Right and what is Wrong. These incidents remind me of Luce Irigaray’s theory of feminism which succinctly summarises that “Women besides being sex objects, are modes of transactions.” Bangalore and Delhi incidents are like such transactions, women being denominations valued only during a transaction.
As a woman, it scares me and leaves me with a lingering question that when the India is already fighting such heinous crimes, going downhill with every month, every year, I truly believe with all my vulnerability and conscience that instead of signing nuclear deals or making MoUs internationally, the basics and the foundation must be made solid. How can anyone be safe when as openly as possible mass molestation takes place?
