Tales of a grossly horrific rape and torture are over all media for past many days. Despite our prayers and some last moment political gimmicks by the government, she died. She fought hard and now rests in peace.
Here, I would articulate a few points worth noting:
# This rape and death means nothing to any politician. They just tried to duck the responsibility and make the most of the issue. Shiela Dikshit tried to get rid of the Police Commissioner. She played very cheap tricks for that.
# Youth icon Rahul Gandhi was totally absent from the scene. It can be remembered that he cooked up stories of rapes in Bhatta-Parsol, UP last year to gain political mileage. He has no credibility to loose but now any slightest hope of his being any different is gone.
# Home Minister Shinde personally ordered application of water canon, tear gas and lathi-charges. When they could not break the fortitude of young students, he called a press conference in which he wore his scornful grin compared women demanding safety to Maoists.
# It is really sad that a policeman on duty died. He might have got some bruises in minor scuffles with students while the lathi-charges. But it is more than evident that he collapsed because of a heart problem. Nonetheless, Delhi Police is trying to make the most of this death. Their assertion that the protest marches are violent enough to kill a cop gives them right to open fire next.
# President’s son and newly elected Lok Sabha member, Abhijit Mukherjee called the protesting girls to be dented-painted chicks who protest in day and dance in clubs at night. This disdainful statement is the least that can be expected of our politicians. These hopeless losers know only communal-caste-crime-money based politics and can’t withstand the fact that a few confident girls can come out of home and ask for their rights.
# A senior lady scientist in Bhopal observed that the girl should not have ventured out in night with her boyfriend (any guy you go out with, is your boyfriend). And once she did get caught by 6 men, she should not have resisted the rape. This way she might have avoided the gruesome torture. Howsoever gross this statement is, it can still shed some light. I don’t think there is anything sexually enjoyable in these kind of rape. It is more about the satisfaction which these usually losers get by domination, by being in a position to decide the fate – life and death of someone, the sadistic pleasure they derive from screams. In several researches, sex-workers tell horrors of brutal deeds done to them by their customers. It ranges from burning by cigarettes to inserting any possible object in private parts. Apparently, these men don’t feel like getting value for money by doing regular sex. So being a researcher herself, I believe the lady must have meant this – once you are in an unavoidable situation – show that you are in intense pain and reluctantly cooperate. This might save you intestines and life. (I know this is awful)
# Congress President of their Andhra Pradesh unit reminded us that girls have mistaken the meaning of freedom for India. According to him, the fact that India has become independent doesn’t give a girl any right to venture out at 9 pm.
# A senior Delhi police officer said that nobody is safe here – even guys loose their wallets and mobile phones. So what’s all this fuss about women safety.
# A policeman was curious to know what the girl was doing with that guy. He guessed that the two must be doing something obscene which excited the 6 men and hence whatever then happened was inevitable and they had it coming.
In such a scenario many realists argue that what is that we have achieved out of these candle light marches? They say that nothing is gained from protests or facebook messages. But I see a brighter hopeful picture here. I believe my whole nation is rising. A whole generation is getting awakened and becoming conscious of its rights (and their deprivations).
In Indian political arithmetic, there was no place for middle class educated people. Because they were never united and were never a vote bank for any party. Now, they are a force none will ignore. So these popular movements herald a new era where candidates will have to talk sensible to get elected. These politically aware voters must not be more than 5%. But in these days, the margin between electoral victory and loss is even lesser than that. So, I see that while identity based politics will go on for sometime, rationality and reforms can’t be ignored anymore. It is now the time for the politicians to get dented-painted.
Ideas and Dreams 