An appeal for change

Motionless Journey since Nirbhaya case

 India, the land of diversity, is known for its celebrated rich heritage acquired from ages and incorporating every new aspect with an open minded pursuit. The religious, cultural, social and progressive emotions and sentiments are parts of its vividness. While weaving the indomitable description of this nation, we often forget the most undaunted attribute prevalent here, deteriorating the very dignified and high spirited image of India---'The haunting crimes'. Especially the rapid growth of crimes against women, which is quite astonishing to hear on the land where in one street she is worshipped as Goddess and in the adjoining street, she suffers through the ravages of long enforced patriarchy, misogyny and regarded as nothing more than a commodity.

There has been an undeterred rise in rapes throughout the country and the worst part is, it is only 30% of the actual scenario that is reported. Remaining is just oblivion that we are unaware of and is hushed under the carpets.

And here we are a part of profound land of preachings, beliefs and spiritualism. Nobody has ever heard or read any religious teachings, inscriptions or books suggesting or prescribing such inhumane and appalling behavior to mankind. All they taught was to abide by the principles of humanity and peace. So, where are we heading with this baggage of unheard screams, unvalued dreams, assaulted emotions, conceited respect and a lot more to carry the weight of? Trust me, now we have passed the phase where we can just bestow the blame upon police and state. It is high time where we all should bear the blame on our shoulders. Instead of judging the lifestyles and audacity of women we should start contemplating our value systems and our growth as a civil society.

We often feel that we are at a spot where we are rising at every front giving equal opportunities to all humans irrespective of any sexist, racial or classified grounds. But this is what we assume because the real picture is what we ignore at the corner of every newspaper. Headlines in small caps "A 5-year girl old raped, A student gang-raped, A 55-year old raped" beyond the bounds of age, colour, religion and caste. Women are facing such treatment at every aisle of this obnoxious and degraded world. All we are doing is "Khud hi safe rehna parega as ye sab to rukne nahi vaala", " Raat ko jaldi ghar aa jaana", "Thode chote nahi hai kapde? ", " Kya zarurat thi ladko ke saath ghumne ki", "Aaj kal bachche itne modern jo ho gaye hai maa-baap ki sunte hi nahi, ye to hona hi tha", "Akeli ladki thi na sheher me".It might come as a shock to some people but this is the ideology swaying most of the citizens of country where they firmly blame victim for the cause. They are not even tenacious to grasp the gravity of situation, instead they are keen to regard liberty and rights of women as 'modernity'. We are not even trying to mend the pathetic and destroyed ideology of such homicidal, brutal and sadist minds instead we are just focusing to amend the way of living for the victims. Yes, we are achieving pioneering heights at the cost of age long, unnoticed plights and cultural dominance of one gender over another.

16 Dec 2012, A dark night which shook whole nation to its very core when every citizen participated in protest against cruelty against a warrior Nirbhaya, who was gang raped and murdered brutally in Delhi. After 7 years of long struggle she got justice but was it really worthy after such longing? The crime never ceased instead the rape cases faced a tremendous hike by the end of decade. Recently, a 12-year girl was raped in hideous way possible and then inhumanely left  at "home" assumed dead. She was alive and has been admitted in AIIMS hospital ,Delhi. So even girls are not safe in their home. So now I would like to seek answers from the intellectuals who blamed victim for her clothes, timing, modernity, liberty etc. She was a girl of 12, even unaware of such concepts and notions.. A Dalit girl was brutally raped by four upper  caste men of her village in Hathras. Where are we heading after witnessing such hideous sights?The worst part is our glorified, very own national capital and hub of social, political, administrative and technical advancements is the hot spot of crime. We can't even assure a student catching a morning metro to her college could return safely in the evening. 

We are stuck in a society where a boy holding his lover's hand, hugging her or kissing her is something against the morality and traditions taught to us. So, how can we possess a stoic resignation on such issues and hold a mute spectacle on adversities we are caught in. Instead of teaching your daughters the way of conduct teach your sons to respect every human.

Nation is never recognized by the ornamented monuments, sights, culture and uniqueness which captivates world to pay their visit on our land. But before that, security, dignity, pride and quality of its citizens are the basic parameters used to judge us globally. What impression are we delivering to the world? We need togetherness and support to address this issue to the authorities to enforce strict laws against such crimes. It is time to mend our traditional ways of acknowledging such issues and generalizing it irrationally. After all it is the need to safeguard the rights of our inhabitants. We need a force to bring a revolution and defend the dignity and respect of women across the globe. A neutral or no stand on such crimes is nothing more than an upliftment to culprits. And as it is said that "Charity begins at home" lets pledge that we teach our boys to learn and accept consent and our girls to live life on their terms irrespective of the pressures of the society.

An appeal for change.