Conquering Hatred

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

The biggest casualty of the Indo-Pakistan war mongering jingoism is the community of people who believe in people to people dialogue and have mutual admiration for art, culture and sports. Even when there is so much of air of distrust between the government, it need to be understood that Pakistan has not yet matured as democracy and its government continue to function under the watchful eyes of powerful military. The military get strength from being the most ‘efficient’ and ‘uncorrupted’ institution in Pakistan but the fact is that to get continuous legitimacy of political interventions, it is essential for it, to discredit the political class as a whole and therefore find a route to stage a well-orchestrated coup.

Many of us feel proud for our track record as a ‘democratic’ country amidst our neighbors who have mostly been suppressed by the military dictators or old religious thugs pretending to have God’s blessings to lord over them. Pakistan was a country build up on the dreams of a secular idea by M.A.Jinnah yet the man could not see it grow and today it is a shattered nation completely in the grip of those who devalue their own father of nation. Today’s Pakistan is not a country what Jinnah visualized but a country where the forces of jingoism and fanaticism rules despite being ‘extra-state’ actors. It is these forces who are now becoming extraordinarily powerful in our countries as they have developed bullying tactics to get their thing done and get away with everything particularly if they happen to ‘represent’ the ‘majority’ communities.

Hence it was very difficult for the government of India to touch Bal Thackarey despite all his unconstitutional rhetoric as well as the violent activities which resulted out of his hate speeches and writings. Narendra Modi or Uma Bharati to Kalyan Singh, all ‘respected’ leaders of their party and future aspirants for various power positions of India yet we have no apologies about them and their action. Actually, state does not act except move slowly and by the time their issues come for justice, they are mostly no more. So, no political leader in India has got any punishment for spreading hatred on communal and caste lines. Hence when Owaisi is arrested his supporters cite example of Modi and Thackrey. Subsequently, when the Hindutva leaders are caught they will careful take up one two such cases where government has not acted and these issues become complimentary for political outfits using religion for their own purposes. The Hindutva hate mongers may not be in the ‘most wanted’ list of they are not ‘wanted’ internationally but definitely in the court of law they used the law for their own purposes. Then there are other members of the Parivar who have always used such tactics to intimidate the Muslims and Christians in the country. In Pakistan, these extra-state actors play dubious role of supporting Taliban in Afghanistan as well as linking the cause of Kashmir to Islamic revivalism in the valley. These extra state actors have full support from those in power because they speak the language which the power elite feel constrained to talk about and covertly support through various mechanism.

India and Pakistan are two unequal neighbors. Despite everything, historically too, India will remain an elder brother and there is nothing wrong in being elder except behaving elderly too is important for both of us. Circumstances have not made Pakistan a plural democratic political system like India but that cannot erase our common heritage that we have worked and build up in so many thousands years. We are different countries and societies just because of a law that separated us which is just 65 years old but our civilization is much older than the British Empire came here. How can the two people with same language, culture, idea are divided. Pakistan is not able to develop its democratic institutions strongly but my problem is with those who claim we have ‘better’ democracy. If Hina Rabbani Khar does not know how to speak as a foreign minister then one can understand very well that she does not come from a political background but Sushma Swaraj and her party’s political understanding and struggle should have made their reaction more mature and political rather than being simply jingoistic.

It is humiliating when our political class, intellectuals, media all jump in for closing every relationship with Pakistan. Why should you deny me listening to Ghulam Ali or why should Pakistanis not listen to Mohammdad Rafi or Lata Mangeskar. Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Imran Khan, Kapil Dev, Arundhati Roy, Faiz Ahemed Faiz, Firakh, Sahir, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar, Kaifi Azmi, Ali Sardar Jafari and the list is long are not confined to our boundaries but have transcended them. In the most oppressing moments of history, art, culture and sports have always united people.

It does not humiliate a Pakistan player when he is asked to leave from India as our officials say that we do not want to play with an ‘enemy’. It is insulting that the Indian state is not able to provide protection to their guests who represent their country but not necessarily support every political and military thought of their nation. How can you call a player an enemy? Can we call a competition between Jagjit Singh and Ghulam Ali a war between the two countries or is it a treat to listen to both of them. How can I call Faiz Ahmed Faiz or a player like Waseem Akram my enemy. For that matter, how can Faiz be put in the category of the hate mongers like Tahir Qadri. How can Sushma Swaraj and like her become voice of India?
It is the game that media has played to serve their own internal purposes and strengthened to boost some of those who enjoy and make money on the martyrdom of others. The media uses the deaths for their own marketing purposes and celebrate them. When soldiers die, we are filling their homes with money and other support but if he return home undead, serving the nation for over 35 years, he does not get that much of money. The capitalist media glorifies deaths and link it to ‘valor’. In today’s 24 hour TV world, it is the best ‘activity’ to boost our TRPs and hence every anchor become a ‘rabid rabble rouser’, much more dangerous than Owaisis and Qadris as they want to push words in the mouth of people and use them according to their own convenience. The world is not threatened by these loudmouths like Qadris, Owaisis or Thackarays, as they are part of ‘State apparatus’ who only speak the language the powerful state want them to speak and if they have out lived their utility then an action is taken but it is only done when the state realize that their presence and association with it is counter-productive and politically detrimental.

As an Indian it is shameful for me to hear that attempt are being made to send artists, writers, journalists and sports persons back to Pakistan simply in the name of their being ‘unwanted’. Even in the height of mistrust, it is these voices of dissent and of love and affection that open the small window of peace and togetherness. One must remember that those who make the biggest noise about nationalism are the most dangerous species as they are least ready to sacrifice themselves for the cause of the people. They only enjoy the sacrifices of others and use every moment of a brave man’s life for his nation, as politics of their parties. It is time that people to people contact must not be allowed to submit to such fascist nationalist forces whose only interest is to keep people subjugated. The people of Pakistan who want friendship with India and vice versa cannot be victimized because their political class is pushing the countries to war.

It is only important for us to remember that war has never ever resulted in any solution to any issue and it will only bring disasters and catastrophe in the region. It is more insulting for us as Indian if our hearts are not bigger in welcoming those people who we love to watch playing on the ground and listen live or on our TV studios and films. It is time, we learn that at the end of the day, we have to live in the same world and a war will never make it better and will keep us in perpetual hatred. Millions of people who love each other’s and have relations and are just divided because of ‘nationhood’ would be denied the basic human rights by this thin dividing line. Can we allow this and remain in perpetual war so that our generations do not grow and suffer in hunger and malnutrition further. An eye for an eye is never a solution and we need not only mature political diplomacy to handle such crisis but stronger people to people contact so that war mongers and their hate cries are defeated forever.

Vivekananda and his Vedantik values

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

The ‘nation’ is celebrating the 150th birthday of Swami Vivekananda. He is presented an icon of youth though he passed away at the young age of 38 suffering from over 30 odd diseases though he travelled across different parts of the world and gave lectures about ‘Indian Culture’. The ‘iconic’ and masculine photograph of Vivekananda in the saffron robe suites all the status quoists in India as despite his ‘radical’ speeches and writings, Vivekananda called to return to ‘Vedas’ and tried to find answers in the religious textbooks. He interpreted Hinduism in the most liberal way such as its faith in ‘multiculturalism’ and respecting diverse traditions. He was influenced with Buddha yet felt that Buddha’s path was of individual Nirvana without any comprehensive struggle but the fact remain that Buddha remain the biggest icon of India even when the mainstream brahmanical media does not accept that, it is a fact that Buddhism has grown world over, respected as well as accepted while Vivekananda’s own thoughts have never been accepted by those who claim to follow him at the moment.

There is no doubt that Vivekananda has often critiqued the Brahmanical system and condemned its belief of untouchability yet he could not challenge the supremacy of Vedas and Manusmriti. He interpreted them according to his own beliefs and understanding. He reminded Indians of the ‘great’ cultural legacy of Vedanta and talked of equality of human beings. He addressed various issues concerning our society and made his own reflections. Unfortunately, he could neither develop a people’s revolt against such practices nor he guided the destiny of people like many others did.

Vivekananda’s philosophical traits are full of contradiction but the most reactionary came from his view on women. Many in India are trying to portray him as great believer of gender equality but his ideal Indian woman is ‘Sita’ who ‘obey’ her husband and was committed to her family. He questioned the western feminist movement terming that there the women dresses like men and he could not accept that. Delivering a lecture on Ramayana in California in the year 1900 Vivekananda said,’
‘This is the great, ancient epic of India. Rama and Sita are the ideals of the Indian nation. All children, especially girls, worship Sita. The height of a woman's ambition is to be like Sita, the pure, the devoted, the all-suffering! When you study these characters, you can at once find out how different is the ideal in India from that of the West. For the race, Sita stands as the ideal of suffering. The West says, "Do! Show your power by doing." India says, "Show your power by suffering." The West has solved the problem of how much a man can have: India has solved the problem of how little a man can have. The two extremes, you see. Sita is typical of India — the idealised India. The question is not whether she ever lived, whether the story is history or not, we know that the ideal is there. There is no other Paurânika story that has so permeated the whole nation, so entered into its very life, and has so tingled in every drop of blood of the race, as this ideal of Sita. Sita is the name in India for everything that is good, pure and holy — everything that in woman we call womanly. If a priest has to bless a woman he says, "Be Sita!" If he blesses a child, he says "Be Sita!" They are all children of Sita, and are struggling to be Sita, the patient, the all-suffering, the ever-faithful, the ever-pure wife. Through all this suffering she experiences, there is not one harsh word against Rama. She takes it as her own duty, and performs her own part in it. Think of the terrible injustice of her being exiled to the forest! But Sita knows no bitterness. That is, again, the Indian ideal.

So, his ideal Indian woman suffers and do not question the wrongs like Sita. Can such perceptions be ideal for today’s India which is changing? Will a woman lose her ‘womanhood’ if she dressed ‘western attire’?

Vivekanand’s ‘historical’ speech at Chicago in 1893 was aimed at presenting Indian civilization as the ‘greatest’ civilization of the world. In fact, Indian civilization for him was Vedantik civilization and in a way, it was his presentation of ‘shining India’. He spoke against all evils but suggested that Vedanta has every answer to these evils ignoring deliberately the vast history of war for religious supremacy in India and how Buddhism was sought to be destroyed by the powerful Vaidik priests and their promoters. He said,’

‘Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now? But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.’
In fact, his beliefs on Vedantism were stronger than anything else. In a letter to Mohammed Sarfaraz Hussain, on June 10th, 1898, he explains what can make India a strong country.

‘Therefore I am firmly persuaded that without the help of practical Islam, theories of Vedantism, however fine and wonderful they may be, are entirely valueless to the vast mass of mankind. We want to lead mankind to the place where there is neither the Vedas, nor the Bible, nor the Koran; yet this has to be done by harmonising the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran. Mankind ought to be taught that religions are but the varied expressions of THE RELIGION, which is Oneness, so that each may choose that path that suits him best.

For our own motherland a junction of the two great systems, Hinduism and Islam — Vedanta brain and Islam body — is the only hope.

I see in my mind's eye the future perfect India rising out of this chaos and strife, glorious and invincible, with Vedanta brain and Islam body’

He believed that a universal religion of oneness can build by taking ‘good’ from everything. He acknowledged Islam’s work for equal society and spirit of sacrifice and commitment but at the end he focused thoroughly on Vedantik ‘brain’. Will any one accept that position of accepting the brahmanical supremacy?
Similarly, Vivekananda has been very forthright on caste question. He spoke about untouchability and condemned it the biggest curse but he felt that all those who are following it were never really following the Vedas or true Hinduism. In his work ‘India and her Problems’ Vivekananda even justify caste.

‘Caste is good. That is only natural way of solving life. Men must form themselves into groups, and you cannot get rid of that. Wherever you go there will be caste. But that does not mean that there should be these privileges. They should be knocked on the head. If you teach Vedanta to the fisherman, he will say, "I am as good a man as you, I am a fisherman, you are a philosopher, but I have the same God in me, as you have in you." And that is what we want, no privilege for anyone, equal chances for all; let everyone be taught that the Divine is within, and everyone will work out his own salvation. The days of exclusive privileges and exclusive claims are gone, gone forever from the soil of India’.
Further he says

‘To the non-Brahmana castes I say, wait, be not in a hurry. Do not seize every opportunity of fighting the Brahmana, because as I have shown; you are suffering from your own fault. Who told you to neglect spirituality and Sanskrit learning? What have you been doing all this time? Why have you been indifferent? Why do you now fret and fume because somebody else had more brains, more energy, more pluck and go than you? Instead of wasting your energies in vain discussions and quarrels in the newspapers, instead of fighting and quarreling in your own homes - which is sinful - use all your energies in acquiring the culture which the Brahmana has, and the thing is done. Why do you not become Sanskrit scholars? Why do you not spend millions to bring Sanskrit education to all the castes of India? That is the question. The moment you do these things, you are equal to the Brahmana! That is the secret power in India.’

It is ironical that Vivekananda never ever questioned the Manusmriti and Vaidik tests which justify caste system and gender discrimination. Yes, he was a more sophisticated version of imposing those age old rigid values on us. Today, attempts are being made to make him as an icon on us so that we continue to perpetrate the caste system. Those who claim to follow Vivekananda must at least respect what he said about Islam and caste system but the fact is that his own followers have obliterated these facts from their lives. None is interested in what he said on caste system and untouchability. The problem with them is that they use Vivekananda as part of their ‘shining’ India campaign and not to introspect on their fault line and develop a movement. People like Narendra Modi consider Islam as the biggest challenge contrary to the thoughts of Vivekananda. Till date there is not a single movement against untouchability and caste system by the caste Hindus. He want the others to follow Brahmins rather than fighting with them or questioning the religious values of that time.

The irony of Vivekananda is that unlike Ambedkar, Phule, Periyar and other icons of social justice, who questioned the very legitimacy of the religious texts of Hindus, Vivekananda became a counter revolutionary, a revivalist of brahmanical propaganda. He talked about injustices, caste hierarchy and untouchability but ultimately wanted to establish the supremacy of Vedas which were the fountainhead of discrimination. The absurdity of his arguments that the Dalits should study Sanskrit and become Brahmins can be found that not a single major temple in India has non Brahmin priests. And Dalit students even today face discrimination in studying Sanskrit and we have case studies for that. Vivekananda’s most superfluous argument was that you can make a fishermen a ‘brahmin’ but leave alone fishermen, we cannot find a single Kayastha becoming Brahmin despite their being very ‘knowledgeable’. Caste in India cannot be changed and is decided before you are born. It is surprising that Vivekananda has not spoken the ideological bankruptcy of the brahmanical scriptures. He never spoke as why Manu Smriti violates basic principles of justices. Instead he tried to justify them.

Even today, when political parties vie each other to fight and claim his legacy, Vivekananda means little to all those who were victim of brahmanical caste system and his views on ideal Indian womanhood are simply parochial and outdated. He is definitely a respected figure and reminded Brahmins and high caste Hindus their duties towards the most marginalized communities but if had questioned even on a single occasion the legitimacy of Shastras, he would have become a ‘revolutionary’ and the renaissance that he wanted would have happened during his life time. Alas, his views will only strengthen the fundamentalist forces in India and will take it further backward as no society can grow on these fictitious ‘granthas’ that legitimize discrimination and violence. Modern India will only strengthen when secular values of humanism and plurality with equitable distribution of power as well as opportunities to grow for every citizen of this country.

Dignified Alternatives

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat


It is disgraceful that the Elimination of Manual Scavenging Practices Bill has not been able to see the light of the day. There has been no concern shown by any political party. India’s biggest apartheid is hidden and ignored by the political class cutting across the party lines and this ‘don’t care attitude’ is visible with those who claim to work for the rights of Dalits and marginalized. There are no discussions on the issue in any of these identity forums. That is a tragedy of how we treat the most important issue of our time in utter contempt and neglect.

Our media would not cover the incident, as the journalists have no courage to see the ugly reality of our caste system and criminal society, which feels that it is the job of these ‘women’ to clean it. Long ago, an international channel had to postpone the shooting of this hidden apartheid of India as they were denied visa by the government.

International news agencies have been eager to understand as what will happen when the Bill comes for discussion in Parliament. Unfortunately, not much was discussed in the Indian media except for a few news items when the Supreme Court took note of it and felt agonized as why the Parliament has not yet passed the bill. Is it because Balmikis or manual scavengers are not a powerful ‘vote-bank’ for any political party? Will the rights and wrongs always be decided on the basis of number of people and their ‘political’ strength or on the basis of our horrible human right records in that front?

Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise when a French TV channel showed interest to visit us and see some of the changes that we have been able to make in district Fatehpur. We were clear that merely showing the pathetic side won’t work all the time. If we claim to have been working for years on the issue then it is time to show what alternatives we have been able to build for people.

The Garima Kendra, run by Social Development Foundation in the heart of Fatehpur city is in activation for the past three years and given new hope to young girls of Balmiki community. Many of them are learning computers and sewing while others are learning Zari work. So, our aim was to give a glimpse of how manual scavenging practices are still happening and how does the society perceive this and what could be the alternatives. It is the failure of us as a civil society to provide alternative, as depending on the government at all times will not get us anywhere.

The TV crew arrived in the morning and we all were on the mission to capture a glimpse of the work in a village Korba in Tehsil Bindaki. The village has a population of about two thousand five hundred. Situated 23 kilometers away from the district headquarter; the village has Muslims as the dominant community with other Dalit communities living on margin.

Sunita has already been out for her daily ‘farming’. Here most of the families use the term ‘Kisani’ for the manual scavenging work. A mother of 5 children, Sunita has pain her eyes as none has ever given a thought of her issues. She too is a woman of independent India but how many of the ‘Indian’ women have ever thought of her as her counterpart. She has a lot of problems with the work. She feels anguished and down, yet, there is no ‘option’ for her. Who will feed her children, is the question? What will be the future of her children?



“I am living this life for 25 years. It is death at every moment.” This is the gift of her mother in law who wanted to preserve the family tradition. The Muslim occupants there are not in great shape, yet, they feel that it is the ‘duty’ of Sunita and others like her to do the work.

“Who will do this work, if she does not do it”, said a family woman defending her right to keep the toilet.“Let the government provide us money and we will make it”.

“But if the government does not give you money then what would you do?” we asked.

“We will continue to get this work done by these people?”

“But don’t you think, this is a bad work, an inhuman practice to clean the shit of others?”

“Yes, it is bad. Then why don’t you clean your latrine yourself?”

And the woman laughs sheepishly.

“How can we do it?” And then the arrogant answer is “we pay them money in lieu of the work. They are not doing it free of cost. If we do not pay them, they will die of hunger. It is a work for which they are being paid.”



And this is the story of so many other places. Unfortunately they have the same arguments and behavior when exposed in public. The crowd gathers everywhere. Young boys gather and pass comments on the crew. Of course, not very harmful but realizing that they would be in trouble, they question us as why are we doing it. “We want the government to make new toilets for you so that you live a better life”, I tell one of them. “Ok, please tell the government to do it fast.” So, people want better facilities for themselves but not for a moment they feel the pain of another person. That the particular work is meant for a particular community is the most gruesome reality of our time.

And in this humiliating practice of caste discrimination and untouchability, we have found Muslim localities are no less responsible than others. Here Muslim elite also behave like caste Hindus. The economic condition of these Muslim families is not very great, yet, the mind of a caste Hindu exists inside them when they treat the Balmiki women in utter contempt. There is no apology or anguish if you find a 15-year-old girl engaged in this inhuman practice. And many of them have been doing it for years. The government has not reached them. The civil society is the upper caste monster in India. India is in a crisis and need a bigger surgery.



Two diverse values, yet, when the issue of untouchability comes, Muslims too treat the Dalits as untouchables, though as a religion Islam does not sanctify any kind of discrimination based on caste and untouchability; yet it is frequent. In fact, manual scavenging is prevalent in the areas with larger Muslim population as their economic condition is difficult but social taboos force women to remain inside. With their inability to build up flushed latrines, they are compelled to get these lowly paid manual scavengers. The compensation for cleaning human excreta with hand is about Rs 20/- per month per family. In such a harrowing situation where keeping a ‘toilet’ has become ‘honor’ but keeping women who clean your shit is a proud position, how can we think that there could be any saner debate on the issue of manual scavenging?

People don’t even think that this work needs to be abolished and that these fateful women are doing a thing, which doesn’t exist anywhere in the civilized world. Government of India has failed to eradicate it as they do not know what alternative could be given to the people and most of the governments’ funds are embezzled in bureaucratic issues. The government actually can provide funds but that does not come from heart. It tackles the issue economically and not as a social concern.

Manual scavenging is an issue related to not only our divisive and discriminatory caste system but also violates the basic principles of human dignity and human rights. The problem is that the people from manual scavenging community face discrimination daily and cannot opt for any profession of their choice as caste based prejudices are very high. In many places, in the government schools, when the former manual scavengers who had left their ‘traditional’ occupation were given a job as cook, the students refused to eat food cooked by them. The caste Hindus withdrew their children from the school.

Alternative model

Fatehpur has seen lot of caste violence in the past. The district is predominantly situated on the banks of Yamuna between Kanpur and Allahabad. The conditions remain difficult and hence when Dheeraj Kumar and his team started working for the rights of the Community, it changed the perception as the voices were from within the community. The young got motivated when Social Development Foundation started a Garima Kendra exclusively for women who left manual scavenging and their children. Of course, it also engaged the most impoverish Muslim women working on Zardosi. So the Zardosi women, working for their daily bread, sat with Dalit women giving rise to a new movement. There are initial hitch ups, as caste discrimination has not left Muslims too despite all claims of equality in Islam.



Muslim women, who knew Zari work, has started coming to our center and starting working. The Dalit women who left their manual scavenging work has also started coming and learning the Zari work. Many of them are learning sewing too. Some girls are learning computer skills also.

The impact is very high. The demand for learning sewing and zari work is growing in Fatehpur. The Garima Kendra i.e. ‘Dignity Centre’ has been supported by us. In the past three years, over 300 women have left manual scavenging work in 10 Gram Sabhas. Many of them have now linked themselves with dignity movement and learning sewing and Zari work.



Our attempt is to reach their villages so that they do not need to travel far away from their homes. More than 20 girls from the community have learnt computer in last one year. 10 women, who had left manual scavenging and have been coming from faraway places, have completely learnt sewing and can do their own work. Some of them are also getting work from the market. The women who are engaged in Zardosi work too are now gaining a new confidence. The process for formation of a union is on though it is difficult because of various religious circumstances, yet, daily 60 women come to learn and work at the center, which is remarkable. In the two shifts, Garima Kendra actually gave them the opportunity to look inwards and fight for their right. They are organizing and we are hopeful that a union of the Zardosi workers would be formed for their rights.



The Garima Kendra has given hope to both Muslim women, who are working for their livelihood and preserving our art of Zari, and the Dalit women who were engaged in manual scavenging and have left their work looking for dignified alternatives. Their only wish is that if such support remains continuous for at least five years, they would grow in a much better way. It is a great achievement. Many have designed Zari work. They may not be experts but they are designing cloths. My wish is to have an exhibition of the work being done by them at certain point of time.

There is lesson for all of us that positive work will pave the way. It does not mean that we should not fight for our rights from the government and authorities but we cannot totally depend on the government. Let us have our own initiatives so that the discriminatory practice of untouchability and caste becomes history. It may be a tall claim but then we cannot really struggle against anything which is impossible’. The battle for a better alternative human life has just begun.

Marketing Victimhood

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat


It is not surprising that BJP leader Sushma Swaraj has asked for Ashok Chakra to be given to the victim of Delhi rape case who died in Singapore. Now, she has been made an ‘iconic figure’ and her ‘sacrifice’ is being ‘projected’ as inspiring for a society which is still afraid of revealing her ‘identity’. Though her father has revealed her name in an interview to a British Daily yet it is shocking that he himself suggested that she never thought of marriage to her ‘boyfriend’ as both of them belonged to different castes. Unambiguously, Sushma Swaraj and BJP have shown their dirty side of politicizing an entire issue and making political gain out of it. Rather than addressing the root of the cause, they still reinforce the misogynist values of our society.

Ashok chakra is the highest civilian honor given for Supreme sacrifice for the country. The girl who was raped in Delhi was bold and wanted to live life. She was a normal girl with simple dreams and needed justice. She is no more and though she has become a rallying point to revive the age old debate of violence against women and gender discrimination in our society. She became victim of our systematic failure and hence cannot really be put in the category of the Ashoka Chakra awardee. Rather than thinking of awards on the girl, it would be better if we focus on justice delivery and making our public space decriminalized. It is also important to ensure safety of women at home and that is only possible through a sustained and reasonable public debate.

But is any reasoned debate possible in a society where the right wing ‘nationalist’ smell danger of their survival. Moreover, the sustained debate some time blur the thin line of sex and rape as if sex is crime and all those who talk of freedom of body and mind deserve to be treated like ‘prostitutes’. The problem with such a mindset is that they feel that ‘prostitutes’ have no rights and that they can be raped at will. It is important to understand why ‘rape’ laws are ‘explained’ in term of ‘outraging’ women’s ‘modesty’ because all related to the fact that social system defined by the power elite ensured that a woman remain guilty for ever once she was violated. That is why the provision of hiding her name continuously even when we wanted her to be a role model without any question being asked as how do you give a Ashoka Chakra to woman whose name is invisible and remain unknown?

Today, the debate is taking a new turn on the women’s right. And that is why we are now witnessing numerous reactions from the right wing forces about it. It is not surprising when Vibha Rao, the chairperson of Chhattishgarh Women’s Commission says that ‘women are responsible for the violence and rape on them as they dress ‘attractively’ and should know their limit. In fact, Vibha Rao heads a commission which should ensure women’s safety and well-being but then how can she go beyond the ‘lakshmanrekha’ drawn by her parental organization, the RSS. She has virtually condemned the aadivasi life style when she says that once you have sex before marriage or beyond one individual, you lose your right to complain. One can understand the fear of blackmail in many cases as happened many times on Dowry related cases but why can’t we promote the idea that man and woman do not seize to be man and woman after marriage. Their individual identities must remain irrespective of their marriage.

The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has not spoken anything absurd as we all know the Sangh put its foot in mouth after deep deliberation. India, for Savarkar, is the holy land of Hindus; it is their ‘pitrabhumi’, their father land. And in their definition, the Sangh has clearly based its theory on Aryan theory of superiority of Varna and values enshrined on the basis of Manu Smriti. During the 1990s when the Ayodhya movement was growing the Sangh sponsored Saints had developed a constitution of their own based on ‘Manu dharmshastra’ which will promote the idea of ‘vaidik dharma’ and Sanatan Dharma where women will be idolized like ‘Sita’. An ideal woman is one who follows her husband like ‘Sita’ and does not question her man. It is clear when Bhagwat said that marriage is a ‘social contract’ where man has to earn for livelihood and woman has to take care of family and home and that is why any woman’ violating’ this norm is not a woman of ‘substance’ for the Sangh Parivar and its ideologues. That is why we the Hindutva women justifying every statement of their parents organization and speaking only on an individual cases as well as ‘tougher’ laws to deal with ‘rapes’ and ‘violence’ against women.

Mohan Bhagwat’s mindset is clearly known to all of us. He has raised the issue that ‘rapes’ are modern ‘phenomena’ and happens only in ‘India’ while all these things were ‘unknown’ in ‘Bharat’. Well, India is governed under the modern secular constitution and therefore most of the cases are filed and get into limelight while ‘Bharat’ is still ruled by ‘khap-panchayats’ and caste hierarchies where no report is accepted in the police thana. In Bharat, women are not expected to go out independently and as long as she is submissive they will ‘protect’ her and fight for ‘her right’ but sooner she ascertain her independence they would lose no time in terming her ‘characterless’. Mohan Bhagwat and his mindset feel the biggest threat in the form of women’s liberty which is possible only when India is coming close to world civilizations and people are asking questions and thinking about them. Now, the girls are going to colleges, in institutions and asking questions which is the bone of contention for the Hindutva world view as they have realized that women’s independence is a threat to our ‘social values’. What are those ‘social values’ that you have to pretend that you know lesser than your husbands or male wards, you have to cook the best food for them, you have to feel proud if your husband beat you, you have to produce more children so that the ‘Muslim’ population does not grow more than you.
The religious fanatics feel the biggest threat in women’s identity. Lot of debates were happening about what is violence and even marital violence but one question was missing that as long as religion play leading role in our life women can never claim for independence. How is anyone who take oath under a priest whether Hindu-Muslim or Christian, ever consider a woman equal to man. Most of these religions actually justify ‘marital’ sexual violence. The religious values have clearly mentioned that a woman cannot really say know to ‘her’ husband and must please him. These values are superimposed through our films and mass media. If anyone want to know more about women’s right and how they should live can procure some of these ‘publications’ which are making huge profit out of our religiosity and ignorance.

The continuous focus on ‘Women’s issues have threatened the status quoists and that is why the issue of culture and customs are now coming up as they would like the issue to be confined to ‘rape’ cases so that the age old prejudices remain untouched and unaccountable. Bigger discussion on women’s right is threatening these fanatics who are raising the fictitious issues of those divides which exits in India. There is no doubt that there is an urban rural divide but the fact is also true that our rural hinterland is devastated by caste hierarchies and is a true reflection of the caste based social order where women meant nothing.

The girl who was raped need justice even when she is no more. She has ignited people’s mind at the moment and brought all the likeminded forces together and hence this opportunity should not go in vein. Her death has become a rallying point and the fire must burn to bring all the related issues including sexuality, consensual sex, rights of the child, issue of dalits and aadivasi women and more. Just focusing on her individual cases and seeking its remedy through the ‘constitutional’ legal matters while keeping your misogynist cultural values alive would not bring any change and women will continue to suffer in such a situation. Therefore it is time to call bluff to all these fundamentalists who want to divert our attention from the larger issues of women’s equality and confine us to debate an individual case as if this is a Congress BJP issue or confine to one particular city or state. Violence against women and her systematic oppression is part of cultural values of South Asia and need a massive mass movement to eliminate this caste and gender based discrimination and violence. Until then there should not be any full stop on our resisting voices.

विद्या भूषण रावत

मोहन भगवत कहते हैं के महिलाओ पर हिंसा इंडिया का फिनामिना है और अपना भारत तो 'महान' है। यह तो पश्चिमी संस्कृति का असर है जो हमारे यहाँ हिंसा हो रही है नहीं तो हम तो 'धर्म' के साशानाधीन थे न। पता नहीं, हमारी खाप पंचायते कितनो को पी गयी हैं के पुलिस थानों में शिकायते भी दर्ज नहीं होती। मतलब यह के हिंसा और बलात्कार तभी माँने जायेंगे जब पुलिस में रिपोर्ट होगी अन्यथा उसका मतलब यह के हमारी गाँव में धर्म का राज्य है। वाकई में हमरे गाँव में धर्म की सत्ता चलती है और उसका विरोध होने पर सजाये मौत होती है और उसका पता भी नहीं चलता। आज भी गाँव में जो हो रहा है वोह एक परदे के भीतर छुपा हुआ है और उसकी खबर तक नहीं लगती। आखिर तुलसी की सामंती मानसिकता ने बिना देखे ही थोड़े लिखा के 'ढोल गंवार शुद्र पशु नारी, सकल ताड़ना के अधिकारी'.

मोहन कहते हैं के शादी सामाजिक गठबंधन है जो पुरुष और स्त्री के बीच होता है जिसमे पुरुष की जिम्मेवारी कमाँ कर लाना और महिला की बच्चे और घर संभालना है। अगर शादी सामाजिक कॉन्ट्रैक्ट है तो उसके ना चलने पर उसको तोड़ने में इतना भयभीत क्यों होते हैं हमारे रहनुमा। अगर [पुरुष अपने कर्त्तव्य को नहीं पूरा कर रहे तो शादी का कॉन्ट्रैक्ट ख़त्म हो जाना चाहिए लेकिन वोह होता नहीं। यह गठबंधन बेमेल है जहाँ एक पार्टनर के पास कोई ताकत नहीं है और वोह धार्मिक परमराओ को धोती हुई लुटती रहती है और पुरुष अपना पुरुषार्थ दिखाते हैं। आखिर हम राम को पुरुशारती या आदर्श पुरुष क्यों मानते हैं। और जब तक हमारे आदर्श ढकोसले और झूट पर आधारित होंगे तो कोई न्याय की उम्मीद कैसे कर सकता है।

दिल्ली की घटना के बाद से ही महिलाओं का सवाल अब मुख्य बन चूका है और इस पर व्यापक बहस है। संघ इस बहस को केवल बलात्कार तक सीमित रखना चाहता है और इसको केंद्र सर्कार और कांग्रेस तक सीमित कर व्यापक मुद्दे से ध्यान बंटाना चाहता है। इसलिए सुषमा स्वराज उस लड़की को ' अशोक चक्र' देने की बात कहती हैं जैसे यह पुरुस्कार किसी के बलात्कार होने पर दिए जाते हों। प्रश्न यहाँ पर भरी पुरुस्कार या कानून के नाम कारन की नहीं है अपितु न्याय की है। हमारा समाज, हमारी सरकार और हमारी वयवस्था चरमरा गयी है और उसका जवाब देना जरुरी है। यह भाजपा या कांग्रेस का अथवा दिल्ली या मुंबई का नहीं है, प्रश्न यह है के हमारे समाज में महिलाओं के प्रश्न कैसे रहेंगे और क्या हम ईमानदारी से उनके उत्तर ढूँढने की कोशिश करेंगे भी या नहीं

आशा राम बापू कह रहे हैं के बलात्कार के लिए वह लड़की जिम्मेवार थी और यदि वह उन लडको को भाई कह देती या उनसे भीख मांग लेती तो बच जाती . यह उसी मानसिकता की सोच है जो कहते हैं लड़की को जुबान चलने का हक़ नहीं या उसे अपनी बात कहने का अधिकार नहीं। आशाराम जी यदि बात इतनी आसान हो तो सभी लड़कियों को राखी का धागा अपने पर्स में रखने के लिए ताकि वे सुरक्षति रहें। अब एक नया धंधा चला है के भारत में पच्छिमी संस्कृति बढ़ रही है इसलिए ऐसा हो रहा है।

पूरी बहस यहाँ तक पहुँच गयी है मनो सेक्स बहुत बड़ा अपराध है और सेक्स और बलात्कार में कोई अंतर करना ही बहुत मुश्किल हो गया है। नैतिकता के पुजारी अब हमारे बेडरूम तक झांकेंगे और कहेंगे के क्या प्यार है और क्या अपराध। हमें संभल कर इन प्रश्नों को देखना है क्योंकि अब हमारी सामंती मानसिकता का पर्दाफास हो रहा है और संघ और उसके बहुदेवता इसलिए अब अपनी जुबान खोलने लगे हैं क्योंकि पहले तो वे केवल दिल्ली वाली घटना के परिपेक्ष्य में बात कर फांसी आदि की सजा की बात कर रहे थे लेकिन जब लगा की बहस से हिंदुत्व का पूरा टायर फट जायेगा तो नागपुर वालो ने होश संभाला और अपनी बात रख यही दी। सवाल यह हैं की महिला हिंसा का प्रश्न बहुत व्यापक है और इसको धर्मो की ऊपर देखना पड़ेगा और जहाँ पर धार्मिक कानूनों को चुनोती देनी हो वहां देनी पड़ेगी। लेकिन उससे पहले हमें सेक्स को पाप कहने से रोकना होगा। यदि सेक्स पाप है तो 2 अरब भारतीय लोग पापी हैं और उनको बात करने का हक नहीं। मैं यह बात इसलिए कर रहा हूँ के धर्म के ठेकेदार यह ही चाहते हैं के महिला हिंसा को सेक्स से जोड़कर उसके अधिकारों पर अतिक्रमण किया जाए। सेक्स और बलात्कार होने पर महिला की 'अस्मिता' और 'अबरू' लुटने की बात अब बंद होनी चाहिए क्योंकि यह महिला को और प्रताड़ित करते हैं। सेक्स एक व्यक्ति चाहे महिला हो या पुरुष उनका व्यक्तिगत अधिकार है और अपनी सहमती से वे यह कर सकते हैं लेकिन नैतिकता के पुजारी अपनी सामंती सोच को थोपने के लिए अवसर तलाशते हैं। आज दिल्ली की घटना ने हरेक मठाधीश को अपनी बात कहने और गंगाजल में हाथ धोने के अवसर दिए हैं जहाँ रामदेव से लेकर आसाराम तक कुच्छ न कुछ कह रहे हैं।

आज हमें महिलाओं के प्रश्न पर बात करते समय अपनी संस्कृति और धार्मिक ग्रंथो का पुनर्पाठ करना होगा ताकि समाज के सामने कटु सच उजागर हो सके बरबरी के लिए कोई भी जंग धर्मो की चिता के बिना संभव नहीं है। महिलाएं धर्मो की 'रक्षक' हैं उनसे 'समाज' चलता है और 'परिवार' बनते हैं इसलिए इन सभी को 'बचाने' के लिए क़ुरबानी की जरुरत होती है और वो सभी धर्मपरायण लोग दे रहे हैं। आज जरुरत है इन रीति रिवाजो और परमपराओ को तोड़ने की और उनहे छोड़ने की ताकि नए भारत का निर्माण हो। यह निर्माण मनुवाद को पूर्णतया ध्वस्त किये बिना संभव नहीं है। महिलाओं की आज़ादी का प्रश्न सांस्कृतिक धार्मिक परम्परओ को छेड़े बिना संभव नहीं है और जो लोग उसे केवल 'बलात्कार' और उसकी फांसी तक सीमित रखना चाहते है वे औरत की आज़ादी के सबसे बड़े दुश्मन हैं क्योंकि वे 'पवित्रता' और 'सतीत्व' पर प्रश्न भी खड़ा नहीं करना चाहते क्योंकि अंत में बलात्कारी को चाहे मृतु दंड हो या आजीवन कारवाश, उत्पीडित महिला तो 'जिन्दा लाश' बन कर ही रहेगी क्योंकि मनुवाद की द्रिस्थी में उसकी 'पवित्रता' खत्म हो चुकी है। सुष्माजी या आसाराम इन सवालो को कारपेट की नीचे ही देखते रहना चाहते हैं क्योंकि ज्यादा बहस हमारे समाज को 'खत्म' कर सकती है और पुरोहितो की दुकानदारी बंद हो सकती है और यह सभी 'समझदार' हैं और अपनी दुकान बंद नहीं होने देंगे लेकिन हमें भी पूरा जोर लगाना होगा ताकि मनुभक्तो की दूकान पर पूर्णतया ताले लग जाएँ और हम एक प्रबुद्ध भारत का निर्माण कर सके जहाँ सभी आज़ाद हवा में सांस ले सके।

Extraordinary life of Savitribai Phule

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Today we celebrate the birth of Savitri Bai Phule, the first woman teacher in India who revolutionized the Dalit-Bahujan masses all over the country. Savitri bai was born on January 3rd, 1831 in a Satara district of Maharastra. Her father Khandoji Navse Patil was an elderly village head. She got married to Joti Ba Phule who was just thirteen in 1840. Savitri Bai was just 9 years old during her marriage. Even when both of them have concerned parents who were respected in the community could not even think that it was important to impart education for their daughter. May be those days, it was important to get your daughter married at the ‘right age even when she was not educated. Ofcourse, there were not many schools and it was not possible for the dalit backward community people to get education where untouchability and caste system was too much prevalent.

Her husband Joti Ba was a social revolutionary who had seen the treatment meted out to the lower caste people, farmers during his life time. He had faced lot of humiliation because he belonged to Mali caste but he knew that the fight against injustice cannot happen unless his people are educated and get rid of superstition and blind beliefs. The condition of women in our society was more pitiable. While the upper caste women were confined to their families, the illiteracy was highest among the poor backward community women. Phule knew well that without a strongly committed partner it would be difficult for him so spread his message. He might also have realized that if Savitri bai remained at home illiterate and uneducated, confined to only domestic work, it would make his tall claims to liberate women as hollow. He knew that the village women would associate with Savitri Bai more than him and therefore he decided to educate her.

The one thing we can learn from Phule is that the age old practices cannot be eliminated in a day or two. It is a process and we need to initiate it. Phule advocated English education that time because he knew that the same had opened door for the upper castes and they acquired power and position during the British government and therefore it was important for the Bahujan masses also to get English education and that is the only reason that he fully endorsed Christian missionary schools and lauded their services as he knew that the normal government schools were never allowing the low caste people.

The ideas that she developed with Joti Ba finally helped them open their first school for the backward community children on May 1st, 1847 but because of ignorance and deeply traditional pattern of society the Phule couple had to face a lot of resistance and opposition not only from the upper caste feudal people but from within the community which was in the grip of orthodoxy and conservatism. It is therefore important for Jotiba to get Savitribai educated first and developed her as an ideal teacher who could not only teach elementary education but also about rights of women and how they ensure a dignified space in the society. So, she was sent for training to a school and finally started their first school for girls 1st January 1848 in a place called Bhide Wada, Narayan Peth, Pune.

It need to be noted that Phule was the first person who talked about Bahujan and he absolutely secularized the movement by engaging in reform not only with in his own community but also engaging with Muslim women and promoting Fatima Sheikh, a Muslim woman for the teacher’s job. Where have we got such revolutionary ideal people who not only start from their home but also initiate step to bring the other communities into the mainstream of change. The Phule couple embraced every one and narrow confines of castes never really attracted them even when both of them were oppressed and saw caste discrimination. They promoted and encouraged girls from various castes and communities and in their school nine girls belonging to different castes had enrolled themselves as students. The movement for women’s education grew up in the entire region and the couple had established five more schools by the year 1848. The British government acknowledged their work for promoting education among the women of the most marginalized communities and honored Savitri Bai Phule.


Both Jotiba and Savitribai were deeply concerned about the plight of widows in our society and initiated process for them. They started home for young widows and worked against the cruel practice of Sati. It was a revolutionary work as gender prejudices were deeply internalized with in the Dalit Bahujan communities too. Though both of them hailed from backward community yet their personal water resources were always opened for the Dalits who did not have access to them elsewhere.

The most important work which jolted the orthodoxy was their unquestioned support to pregnant widows. They gave hope to those who lost their lives in early age and knew well that child marriages resulted in child widowhood too. Phule couple’s courageous effort to fight against all this helped people a lot particularly women who would prefer to die than live a life in humiliation and isolation after widowhood.
Phule realized that the Brahmins have befooled the poor in the name of God and hence warned his people not to fall prey to their tactics. He formed Satya Shodhak Samaj, a society which work for achieving the truth. Savitribai Phule took up the legacy by her husband with great passion and conviction.

Today when we all are speaking about women’s right, it is time; we remember Savitri Bai Phule and her struggle. When we talk about men in our society, let us remember Joti Ba Phule and how he got his companion educated. All those who confine themselves in narrow vision must learn from the struggle of Phule couple. They did not confine themselves to mere rhetoric of anti-Brahmanism but created an alternative which was called Satya Shodhak Samaj. It means that in the absence of an alternative, we will not be able to build a society. Phule never depended on the government to do things but he started work and reforms. He was modernist to the core and hence promoted idea of modern scientific humanist education.

Savitri Bai Phule was a revolutionary and became victim of India’s corrupt and dishonest casteist intellectual elite which tried to hide her achievements and struggle. The amount of work that both of them deserved a better mention in our text books in the colleges and Universities. Alas, our youngsters don’t even know these struggles and then are unable to fight against the injustices which are a product of the corrupted social order which is anti-woman.

The birthday of a revolutionary need to be celebrated and cannot be observed in the negative sense. Today, we hold our head high and bow to her struggle for dignity and self-respect among women and the marginalized. We must uphold the values she stood for as how can youngsters can change the society. Today, all those who ask the government to change from Jantar mantar refuses to change them. Change has to come from within. Phule started the change from within and educated Savitribai first. Both of them went to the people, stood up against all odds and got brickbats and yet stood strong. For social activists they are remarkable idol of truthfulness and conviction. Indians need to learn a lot from Phule couple. For Indian men, Joti Ba is the real change maker who started charity from home standing with his wife in all odds and for Indian women, the battle must be learnt from Savitribai that the battle for women’s dignity cannot come from hating men but changing the social system. Can anybody imagine today that a woman would lit the pyre of her husband in the 19th century which is not even possible today. Savitribai performed the last rite of Jotiba Phule as a true comrade.

Phule had realized the crookedness of the priestly class when they defined our duties and subjugated women. He emphasized on education which could liberate people from ignorance and superstition. That is why he focused in the emancipation of women and both the couple never thought that they can do it with ‘plain’ ‘sloganeering’ and ‘jargons’ but with providing alternative mode of action and thoughts. This is a great lesson for all of us that rather than thinking others to change, it is time we initiate the process with in ourself and start our own work after all charity should begin at home first. Let us strengthen the Satyashodhak movement by Jotiba Phule to realize his dream of an enlightened India free from the bondage of caste system and where women enjoy fullest freedom of their choice. Let us salute Savitribai Phule for her remarkable work which has inspired millions of people world over.

Identity Unpurified

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat


The victim of Delhi assault is no more. Last night she breathed her last in a hospital in Singapore. It was rare that the prime minister and UPA chairperson received the body at the airport. The history is changing these days and in these time people’s pressure is visible on the government and they are showing some sensitivities though the police in Delhi was forcing her parents to take the body to their home town in Balia for cremation. And finally the she was cremated silently and secretly with in hours after reaching Delhi. Maybe, the government knew that if the cremation was not done immediately, it could spark further violence and tension.

This incident has brought us many facts of life. That India still lives in the Dark Age which has no respect for women and our political class does not have ideas of how to deal with a changing nation which is young and want its answer at the earliest. The bureaucracy and politics drag on an issue till its die as they wait for the patience of the people to die and let the issue submerged in the din. Many feel that people do not remember things and hence politicians reap benefit of this ‘forgetfulness’ of people but things are changing now and it would be difficult for them to ignore these issues. And let me clear, it is not the issue of Delhi or Mumbai. It is not the issue confined to one particular caste as many of the comments on social networking sites have been bringing issues of people who suffer and ‘we’ have not spoken on that. Some brought the issue of ‘Dalit’ and many other things. Yes, it is well known fact that people do not speak on everything and those who are bringing the other issues to compare do not speak but some time an incident ‘provoke’ and ‘compel’ us to think and ponder over as what went wrong. The Delhi incident in real sense has forced the entire country to think. May be at least at the governance level, some understanding will help us secure our public spaces for women. As a society we need to do more and not just ask for better laws but we ourselves would have to change and the beginning must be made from the way we nurture our children. Nobody, know the caste of the girl and the protests are not happening because the girl is from this caste or that community. Yes, it is happening because the streets of Delhi are not safe for women and Delhi women have equal right to protest as women anywhere. Political parties will use it but there are certain issues which are not easy to be used by them. And this is one of that. Ofcourse, the media will only go where there is an event and what could be a better place than a protest at India gate or Raiseena Hills.

Yes, from ‘dented and painted’ thoughts of Abhijit Mukherjee, son of an illustrated father to another public person from West Bengal whose absolutely denigrating comment on Mamta Benerjee are thoughts from ‘enlightened’ Bengal. How can a Hindutva votary left out so he wrote a letter to Chief Secretary in Rajasthan asking him to stop wearing of skirts by the girls in the schools and colleges. A woman ‘intellectual’ in Madhya Pradesh shamed everyone who was present in the seminar on ‘women’s Empowerment’ when she decried the girl suggesting that she should not have resisted so that her life would have been saved. Yes, the common reference in these conditions is why should a girl ‘travel’ in the night but this time, she was travelling with her male ‘friend’. Some also brought the story of her ‘link’ with one of the accused. The question is why should you rape and kill a person who disagree with you and does not want to be part of your ‘fanciful’ ‘possessive’ world. Why can’t we allow peaceful parting even if such thing happening because a large number of cases in India are because men become possessive of the women and do not even want her to talk to others. The times are changing and to think of a girl who will wait for her husband in the evening when he return home from ‘work’ and get ‘hugged’ or ‘kissed’ are remote when both the partners work for survival and better life style.

Now the girl is no more and everyone is giving her a different name. You are praying for a ‘brave heart’ but why don’t we reveal her identity. One can understand that it is a complicated social problem when the revealing of the name of the victim isolates her further but that is the crux. When will we take on the society? We protest against the government for changing laws but we are not really keen for a social change. We want to protect these customs and rituals given to us by age old retched system where a girl loses everything if she is touched. My question is simple from those moralist like Sushma Swaraj who said that the girl would be ‘jinda lash’ whether there is need to change our social mental framework or not? Yes, in life, this brave girl fought and wanted to live. Yes, good that we protected her identity but why? It is simply because; we wished to keep her safe from future isolation in society. Today, when the girl is no more we refuse to reveal her identity and just justify the Sushma Swaraj perception about a woman. Our women will have to oppose and reject this nation. Rape will happen as it is the last resort of the powerful people to rein in on the helpless to dehumanize them. A rapist must be shamed and get maximum punishment but what about the victim. The entire focus on the ‘rape’ debate is around the ‘accused’ because that is where we expect the government to act but what about our own self? Don’t we need to change as a society? Why are no questions asked from this brahmanical disorder where women are an ‘object’? Will we object to being ‘favicol’ or ‘munni badanaam huee’? Will we object to those denigrating advertisement which sale ‘beauty’ product and define how women should look and grow? Is there not a pressure on women being isolated?

Various media associations and unions have send guidelines about the reporting of girl’s funeral and her ‘privacy’ being ‘respected’. At the time when the entire country has moaned her and called her ‘India’s daughter’, prayed for life, she is no more. The country must know her struggle and her valiant fight. She must get her legitimate due, an acknowledgement from the government and society. Why do we strengthen those stereotypes which makes a rape victim ‘jinda laash’. This brave heart is a role model for others and hence we cannot kill her identity just because she was raped. It is time; we honor her struggle, her fight for dignity and self-respect. Will it not be the greatest irony that a woman who has inspired the entire nation from her spirited fight for life is allowed to die unknown and her whole heroic struggle goes in vein because we are unable to challenge our patriarchical structure? It will be sad if we continue to reinforce those ‘values’ which kills a woman’s identity on being violated and make her ‘walking corps’. It is time to wake up and assert that a woman cannot be allowed to die whether alive or in death just because she has been violated. If we are unable to come up against such notion then I would only say that natural justice has happened to this girl as it would have been difficult for her to survive in this society which would have been killing her daily. We have only legitimized and justified those values and beliefs which believe that a woman become ‘walking corps’ if violated and has no life. Can we call our self a civilized society and a nation when we are still sticking to these prejudices?

How long will we kill the dignity of woman who faces such ignominy after being violated? The girl who fell to these brutal rapists has been named as ‘Damini’, ‘Nirbhaya’ and ‘Amanat’ but lost her identity with that mishap of her life which was not her fault. There are hundreds of other women living such life in absolutely miserable isolation and die every moment of their life. Will this incident or its outcome ensure that they too live a life of dignity and honor? Will they be able to walk with their head high where none ask those questions that kill them every now and then? India you need a complete overhaul and not just a few laws to look a society which respect women and give her dignity and self-respect. Let us moan the death of this brave girl but the best tribute to her will be when we will allow her ‘original’ name to be out so that people learn to live with it and tell their children particularly daughters that being violated is not end of life as it is not she who should be ashamed of but the person who violate a woman. It is sad that the girl who fought valiantly for her dignity is allowed to die unknown and unnamed. It means as a society we do not want to change as we only want governance system to be changed but not ourselves. I wish the sooner this society is demolished the better for the world of humanity. No humanity could be built on this hypocrite society which victimize the victims and refuse to change despite so much of pains and traumas it has brought in our lives.

Indian renaissance

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

It is good for the people to come to the street and raise their voice in solidarity with an affected person and therefore the protest to make our public places safer for women must have support from all. The political system in India has become so much corrupted that the best thing the politicians have become expert in are to look these issues through an identity prism and therefore discredit the entire issue which concern us all. It is true that the middle class upper caste citizenry of the country is reacting on this issue because it is the target at the moment but it is also a reality that our public places are highly unsafe for women and that is the duty of the government to ensure that she can use that space without feeling insecure and unsafe.

I do not believe that these protests are unwarranted but media definitely over reacted on the issue and inflamed the passion. After a big failure of Anna’s movement, media is again trying to create chaos by legitimizing everything in the name of ‘sentiments’ and ‘feelings’ of the people. Street protests are essential to wake the political class as well as to clean the conscience of the society but that would not be possible without a formidable ideological understanding of our social system which has justified rape and violence against women from time immemorial. In the absence of the ideological clarity, these street protests against ‘rapists’ is the result of a feeling that the ‘criminal’ do not come from us. India lives in communitarian society where family and blood relations are focused on and therefore right and wrongs are always based on ‘politics’ of our society and which community are from.

There are numerous celebrity ‘rapists’ in Delhi’s Tihar Jail and they are honorable citizens there. Their families have defended them. Many of them are former senior police officers and interestingly their wives publically defended them and fought their cases. We can assume that a village woman is helpless and hence do not dare to speak against her husband as the social pressure is tremendous and at the end it is the woman who is blamed for everything. Every rapist or molester of a woman is definitely a son, a brother, a husband, a father and a father in law too. How many times do we see a public rebuking of such people by their sisters, daughters, wives and daughter in laws? Can these female relatives of ‘rapist’ ever disown them and demand public trial? That is the most important aspect in India where we have failed. Secondly, it is also important that street trial will brutalize the already brutal society and only strengthen the moralists like Shri Ram Sene, Bajrang Dal, Shivsena or their Muslim counterparts and the result would be an absolute control over private space of the individuals.

Many of the film stars as well as politicians have jumped in the bandwagon of this ‘leaderless’ protest suggesting the ‘rapists’ must be hanged, publically butchered and what not. The direction of the entire debate would only gladden the heart of the Taliban mindset among us who want women to be ‘protected’ and advise her to understand her ‘limits’. While in a civilized society, we do not need policing at all the level as more police only mean less security and more fear. Do we want policing at every nook and corner when even a brother and sister or two lovers are blackmailed by the beat constable? Do we want to be poked and questioned everything about our personal lives? Yes, such debate on violence against women actually reinforces the parochial belief that a woman is not safe and must accompany her family persons. This will always make the lives of millions of those youngsters who travel together and stay at one place. The moralists would then blackmail them whether they are ‘married’ or not. Such situation already exist in different parts of the country where hotel have turned into blackmailing youths particularly young couples who run away from their homes and want to get married. Every hotel would then turn a khapist and extort as much money as possible as the fear of ‘getting exposed’ make them succumb to such blackmailing or leads to violence and even suicide.

There is a need to have sensible debate on the issue which does not confine to rape as it is just one of the forms of violence against women. It would make mockery of freedom of individual and their choices as even consensual sex between two adults might be termed as ‘rape’ by the moralists as man-woman relationship would be under the constant scrutiny of these ‘street’ moralists who would not treat ‘honored’ killing as equal to rape? Have our moralist demanded same treatment for all those who kill their wives, sisters, daughters in the name of honor? Why do the honored killings in Harayana or even near Delhi does not attract that much of passion and anger among our citizens in the country? Why does a girl goes into depression when feel betrayed by her boyfriend or when the relationship is broken? It is the fear of being isolated with prospectus of marriages getting dim afterwards and that is the ‘sexual’ ‘purity’ of woman which has been legitimized by social norms and religious texts.

The parents of the girls and boys who decide to live on their own try to thwart their marriage all the way. In most of the cases, if a girl ‘disappear’ with her ‘lover’, the parents file complaint of ‘abduction’ and rape against the boy? All these acts have potential to be misused very similarly like dowry laws if there is no clarity and proper discussion on the issue. In the absence of a sensible trial every male lover would potentially be treated as a ‘rapist’ and might face either life imprisonment or death penalty. It would come handy for all those particularly the right wingers who are against inter-caste marriages and particularly on the issue where the two lovers hail from different religions. At the moment, all are crying loudly as most of the ‘rapists’ are not our neighbors or not among ‘us’. In the din of street hanging, a certain Madhur Bhandarkar would not have got justice from the Supreme Court when he faced charges of ‘rape’.

It is important that to demarcate two issues rape and women’s freedom about her body from each other. Yes, the government must ensure that public places must be made safer for women and public transport system must be secured fully and completely. But then unless the society changes its attitude which comes from the religious texts and traditions which worship women’s ‘virginity’ must change. There is a need to demystify the whole issue of ‘sex’ due to which there is so much of ‘passion’. Kiran Bedi would not be able to answer why ‘policemen’ rape women in Police Thanas and that women still feel unsafe and insecure in lodging police complains because of the tremendous social pressure. It is the social pressure which forces a woman to live her life in ignominy after being violated and no government can help in that unless voices are raised. We must understand that women leaders in India have not challenge the notion of brahmanical patriarchy of which they are the product. Very few of them actually came from the struggle which women are engaged in it and most of them are ‘daughters, daughter in laws, wives, etc. of political families in India and have rarely raised any issue women’s right in our parliament and assemblies. This is the biggest tragedy that Indian subcontinents where we had women leaders as prime ministers, leader of opposition but have not dared to challenge the patriarchical customs in our society as most of them piously followed the religious norms. Most of these women leaders followed strict social norms covering their heads with duppatta and using all the symbols of women in our religious society. They reinforce the value that a woman is not complete without man. Sushma Swaraj may address to the galleries of the street protest most of those who hail from the upper caste Hindu background but she has always reinforced those patriarchical values which resulted in the degradation of our women and made them just depended on their men. How many of our women leaders are ready to speak against organized violence against women? Will Sushmaji speak against Devdasi system which is a divinely organized prostitution used by a particular caste against another caste? Will we ask for public hanging of those Brahmins who even today practice Devdasi system? Will we ask for public hanging of all those culprits who violated Muslim women in the name of religion in various communal riots including in the aftermath of Babari demolition, and in 2002 Gujarat massacre. Will we ask for hanging of the Khap Panchayat leaders who openly ask for killing of young lovers? Will we ever ask for hanging of police officers who have raped Aadivasi women in Baster just because they were asking for their right? Is rape justified when the police and army do on women who are raising voice for their rights in different tribal regions, north East, Kashmir and elsewhere? Will we stand up that a crime is a crime and must be condemned?

Indian state is primarily a Manuwadi state, a great counterpart of their Islamic state where women are just symbols and have to work with in their limit and have to work for strengthening the patriarchy and that is the reason why our women leaders are more patriarchical and brahmanical then their male counterparts. After-all, women too have castes; they too have prejudices and their heart to melt according to their caste and identity. Let us acknowledge this fact.

If we have to hang the people for violence against women then we will not have enough hangmen to do that. South Delhi’s own record in female feticide is well known which has the lowest sex ratio in the country. The domestic violence cases do not come out for the fear of exposing the family. We are still protecting the family inside whose four walls a huge number of women are not safe, not just physically but sexually too. That is why, I said we need a renaissance to change the mindset more than merely changing a few laws and hanging some of them who we feel are wrong. A large number of moralists would get hanged if we are on rush to hang people for ‘rape’. Let there be a sincere and sensible discussion including fast tracking these issues, formation of special courts in the entire country. Delhi is the reflection of our society and my hype the cases here but ignored the huge number of cases elsewhere. The good point is that whatever negativity these protests have, they have actually forced people to come to the street and raise their voice. The government will have to be on toes in future with these unorganized and leaderless people’s protests in future which may sometime be used by rightwing political forces.

A fight for women’s right will never succeed unless we strive for a secular democratic society. It is this very reason that Dr Ambedkar on 25th December 1927, with thousands of his supporters burnt Manu Smriti which he termed as the constitution of caste Hindus which violate basic principle of equality, liberty and fraternity. He argued that it justified violence against women and Dalits. It had different sets of punishment for one kind of crime. The people who violated the hapless girl and brutally assaulted her in the moving bus are the children of Manusmriti and look down upon every woman as object. They would not allow a woman to keep her head high and would repress them violently when they realize they cannot argue. The children of Manu do not argue but suppress all the argument, free voices with extreme violence and justify their acts in the name of traditions and customs. A 21st century India cannot progress on these repressive ideals of Manu and hence it is time we burnt the same Manusmriti from our heart and minds which Ambedkar did so many years ago in his effort to make India a humanist society. It is time to humanize India.

Electoral verdict defeats democracy in Gujarat

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

The election results in Gujarat are out now and Narendra Damodar Bhai Modi has comfortably returned to power in the state for the third consecutive times though he could not increase the number of seats held by him last time proving all the pollsters absolutely wrong who had predicted a massive victory for him. Immediately after the verdict, a triumphant Modi spoke in Hindi to his ‘national’ audience who are now roaring for his ‘role’ in the national politics. Modi as well as BJP or NDA have a right to project him as the leader of their party and contest elections under his leadership as they have done in Gujarat but there is no need for reading too much into his ‘Hat-trick’ as there are political leaders in India who have got much bigger mandate than Modi and ruled their states for years including Jyoti Basu in West Bengal or CPM as a party. Many of the states like Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh, and Delhi have governments of Congresss Party for second to three consecutive years hence nothing to boast about his victory.

Ofcourse, he won the elections and his ‘tricks’ must be acknowledged simply because the opposition in Gujarat has not taken on Modi head on and simply fell in to the trap that he laid for them. Elections are not just using the social media or television channels but also reaching the masses and managing them to the polling booths. The opponents of Modi failed to do so as most of them actually hail from the same school of thoughts though wearing different cloths of political parties at the moment. Shankar Singh Vaghela and Keshu Bhai Patel do not have anything different in perception and ideology to Narendra Modi and hence they could not attract the voters towards them. It happened because the opponents have the same caste and power base quintessentially anti dalit, anti Muslim and anti OBCs. How would you ensure that these sections have fair representation without giving them tickets and strengthening their political leadership?

But there is a fact also in terms of Modi’s popularity which is on diminishing end now. He won 127 seats in 2002, 117 in 2007 and 115 in 2012. Also it is important to see that even 127 is not the best achievments for any political party in Gujarat as Congress did cross that number several times and the highest it got under Madhav Singh Solanki in 1980 to 141. So, a Modi wave would have decimated the Congress but it has a fairly substantial presence in Gujarat despite all odds and communalization process of the Gujarati society. The voting percentage in Gujarat increased this time massively to the extent of 25% from the previous polls in 2007 but the percentage of BJP increased to about 2% from 47% last time to 49% this time. Congress too has a marginal increase in their vote share while others got a heavy 13.5%. It indicate that the new voters have not really shown their preference for Modi so the hype being built about him is nothing but a propaganda unleashed by Modi himself to increase his ‘acceptability’ in the ‘market’ which is already enamored by his ‘developmental’ work in Gujarat.

There is no need to see Gujarat state as a ‘developmental module’ as Modi’s promoters are the builders and Hindutva clergy whose sole agenda is India’s ‘secular’ constitution. It also needs to be seen why the aadivasi dominated regions did not vote for Modi overwhelmingly like the ‘middle classs-upper caste’ dominated seats in rest of Gujarat. If we want to see ‘development’ of Gujarat, it is important to ask where do aadivasis in Gujarat stand for and what have they got in these years.

Gujarat’s ‘developmental model’ was being projected by people but the fact is that at the end of the day Modi returned to his favorite ‘Mia’ Ahmed Patel and his anti-Pakistan rhetoric like the issue of Sir Creek. Shockingly, BJP fielded ‘Muslim’ leaders to defend Narendra Modi and his tasteless jibes against his opponents. Modi has always projected him as the ‘voice’ of 6 crore Gujaratis and now after this victory his ‘followers’ are making him ‘larger’ than life so that he could be used for 2014 general elections.

There is no doubt that Narendra Modi has won elections. Nothing is shocking to us that there are many tainted people who have charges against them in his team including former home minister Amit Shah but any one for the cause of Hindutva can do anything without facing any charge-sheet. The state of India actually will welcome these Hindu fundamentalists as heroes. Very few of them have got into their required destinations otherwise it pays well to raise the Hindu sentiments. ‘Experts’ are now saying that Muslims have voted for Modi and perhaps that is the victory of his ‘sadbhavna’ mission that out of 19 constituencies where Muslim presence was sizable the BJP has secured 12 and the rest went to Congress Party, though it is the dark fact of Gujarat politics that BJP did not give ticket to a single Muslim during the elections. When asked about it, the party simply said that they look for ‘win-ability’ of the candidate and would serve the Muslims well as it does not believe in ‘appeasing’ them.

Democracy is not just a feeling of inclusion of minorities and marginalized in the power structure but also their participation through representation. It is here that Gujarat has miserably failed to provide us a model. If India were to go on Gujarat way then the country would lose everything that it has achieved in the past 65 years. How can a community, 14% of India’s population go without representation in our Parliament? If that be, will it ever call itself a representative parliament? Where are Muslims in Gujarat Assembly who constitute 9% population of the State? Only 2 members of Muslim community have won and their presence would be more symbolic than their ability to do anything inside the assembly where proponents of Hindu Rastra would be in an overwhelming majority. A party which wants to return to power at the Centre does not have enough people from the Muslim community to contest elections and it continue to call its policy as against ‘appeasement’. Is rightful participation in power structure is ‘appeasement’.

Gujarat’s poll results have again shown us the need for genuine poll reforms and shift to Proportionate Electoral System with effective check and balances so that even the most marginalized communities are represented in our system. If the parties are allowed to win seats on the basis of their poll percentage, BJP would have got only 88 Seats out of 182 as their poll percentage was just 49%. Similarly, Congress with its 39% votes would have got 70 seats, 10 more than what they have got. The biggest beneficiary of it would have been Keshu Bhai’s Gujarat Vikas Party who got 13% of total vote polled with 2 seats at the moment would have got around 24 seats. A proportionate system is the most genuine method of converting people’s mandate into seat gains. It would have then forced the parties to give 9% representation to Muslims during elections which meant that they could have got at least 17 seats to contest if not won. Gujarat has a bad track record of Muslim representation and except in 1985 when it had 7 members from Muslim community in the legistlative Assembly and later in 2007 when there were 5 Muslim members, the situation by and large remain the same. Congress Party has not really taken care of them. In fact, when the Congress was ruling Gujarat, even the number did confine to 1 or 2 in the assembly. For Modi and his party communalism or Hindutva is essential as they know well Muslims would not vote for them but the Congress remain more dangerous in this front as it actually wanted to benefit from the helplessness of Muslims. If Modi has not given tickets to enough number of Muslims, that is the stated politics of BJP but what stopped Congress from doing so. It is sad that Muslims have to pay a price for creation of Pakistan and during every election the ‘appeasement’ issue is raised.

India’s second majority cannot be allowed to languish in isolation as the non-representation of the community in power structure will only strengthen the hands of those who believe India essentially a Hindu Rashtra in ‘secular’ garb. The Gujarat elections have broken those myths and in the din of Moditva we are ignoring the harsh realities and dark side of our democratic structure. Modi have used Hindutva card with middle class Hindu voters for his own purpose. BJP has used that in the past in various state elections but due to growing assertion and proximity of the Pasmanda Muslims with Dalits and OBCs, the Hindutva March is halted so far.

Unfortunately, Hindutva always worked on the growing cultural gaps between different communities and it is easier for them to use these cultural gaps against Muslims by continuously raking up non relevant issues and pushing them to further marginalization. The current electoral system is always helpful to powerful corporate groups who used these contradictions for their own purposes. Gujarat cannot be a model for rest of the country. It will be a blunder if such dictatorial model is imposed on the country in the name of democracy. We cannot ignore the fact that Hitler came to power in the name of German ‘nationalism’ and destroyed humanity. Germany opted for the proportionate electorate system after that and made enough check and balances so that the Fascist forces are not able to come to power by exploiting the ‘communal nationalistic’ ‘sentiments’ of the people. India needs to prepare itself for future, a country where democracy is inclusive and widely representative and where victory of one party does not result in isolation and marginalisation of a particular community. It is also important that the judicial process of providing people justice who are victim of the Gujarat state and its highhandedness and absolutely communal approach in the aftermath of 2002 riots engineered by the protégé of Hindutva. Though India is a much complex country yet it is important that the secular agenda with inclusive democracy is well placed before political parties claiming to be secular so that fascist demagogues never get a chance to even think of being at the helm of affair of Indian nation. Gujarat has given us an opportunity to think of an electoral system which could be inclusive and ensure each sections of our society is represented in our power structure. That is the only option for India today to save it from Fascist onslaught through democracy when each community would have a fair share in our assemblies and Parliament.

A truly democratic society would never allow certain sections as marginalized and isolated which Muslims in Gujarat today are reduced to. Election results are nothing but popular sentiments of the people and in the First Past the Post System ( FPTP) these results are basically manipulated easily particularly when the religious identity becomes a tool to unite all the others against them. Gujarat society has unfortunately made these elections into Muslims verses others and hence their marginalization is further. No political party could challenge that idea of Muslims and that is where we say the democracy has been defeated in Gujarat. Let India does not turn into Gujarat and the only condition for that would be for political parties to focus on what makes them different than Modi, Moditva and Hindutva. If the political parties want to play second fiddle to political Hindutva then there is no need to have so many political parties, Modi can provide us that model better. Unfortunate situation in Gujarat may be a boon for those who want to replicate it elsewhere and have made their presence stronger. Elections are made to strengthen democracy but our electoral system is responsible for the defeat of democracy and unless the trend is arrested, it would damage India’s future as a democratic society which is already facing lot of challenges from the fundamentalists and communal forces without a real counter from the parties claiming to be secular and those who believe in inclusive politics.

No time to play politics on rapes but introspect

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

After the brutal rape incident in Delhi the political leaders particularly that of the BJP are up in arms against the government and law and order agencies for their failure to protect the victim. Numerous debates are there on TV and newspapers and it look as if India will change today only. Media has again become ‘preaching’ and people are in the street against it. Politicians from all parties have condemned it and protest continues at different parts of the country including Delhi. Many people say, Delhi has become rape capital of India as it is the most unsafe place in India. BJP and many like them want capital punishment while those who oppose death penalty seek chemical castration. Strange but some of them are seeking implementation of Sharia laws like Saudi Arabia. Our imaginations know no bound and hence all kind of fictitious arguments are coming because we have TV cameras. The protests are great and must be introspective in nature and not really in seeking response from the politicians or a particularly political party. It is important if we debate the entire issue in the perspective and not just an isolated incident which was absolutely brutal and horrible to even think off. There is no doubt that our law enforcing agencies must be made accountable and more humane but if the society is sick, it would be absolutely wrong to seek answer for a societal problem hence safety measures are good and must be placed to make ‘Delhi’ as a great capital of the world but how will Delhi or India grow as a ‘civilisation’ which we boast so much.

The violence against women is part of our civilization. Daily our daughters, sisters, wives and mothers face violence at home, work place, in schools and colleges, in forests, at the streets. The awkward male gaze is not really part of civilization but definitely a product of stupid and idiotic Hindi films where the hero or villain look straight into the eyes of the heroine and often he ‘succeed’ in convincing her. That is the learning message of Bollywood that you peep into the eyes of woman and get there. Whether our film stars agree or not, it is their films which are providing tricks to do things. The obsession with films and the lives of film stars results in being like them. The problem with our media is that they want to enjoy that too and speak against the violence in terms of physical violence and visible violence. Everything is fine if these cases are not reported and to hide the dirty face of our social structure, the entire blame is on the administrative apparatus.

My issue is the same. Indian media and its intellectual class have become bankrupt when they convert the debate into an administrative one without introspecting as what ails our civilization. Do we think there are no rapes in Saudi Arabia after Sharia laws are implemented? Do we want to live in a place where going together and even consented adults are charge sheeted and consensual sex is also treated as rape. The problem is that as a society, we are fast becoming more media centric and our protests disappear once media is not there. Instead of looking into the fault lines, we continue to promote the idea of ‘law and order’ and it is being promoted by BJP and other parties for their own sake. It serves two purposes. One is to blame everything on the administration so that a political capital may be build up over that and secondly never question our own social system which produces such situation. Will ever Sushma Swaraj and her colleagues ever concede to the fact that our civilization has basic flaws and we need to mature and become more gender sensitive? Where will you police when cases of incest are sharply increasing in our homes? You blame Delhi but that is because an incident here becomes ‘national’ but what about numerous other places where women go and cases are never registered. Which place in India is safe for women to do things at their own without a male escort?

We need to ask questions to ourselves how we treat our women, our daughters and we will find the answer of the corrupted civilization. When so many people come to the street and speak, the only thing that is that the government will take action. We all are crying against the culprits because they do not belong to us but the fact is all the culprits belong to us as a society. All these people must have sisters, mothers, wives and others and still they do it. Most of our men are protective of their female wards when they travel together and at home. They would be strict with them but when they go out they behave exactly the opposite. So, as a society, we treat issues on personal basis and not really as a violation of rights of a collective. Hence, whenever these cases happen, our people will cry but most of the places their families support them. Some will concede that there was a mistake but not beyond that.

Let us admit the fact that there is a problem in our grooming our children. We start discriminating with a girl child from day one. We divide her work. WE send her brother to market and she is given the charge of family. She has to be simple, ‘gori’ and ‘presentable’ when somebody come to ‘see’ her. Her father performs ‘Kanyadaan’. Is ‘seeing’ and ‘daan’ not convert her into an object? But then those who are the champion of ‘Indian culture’ will not speak? Yes, I never believe in comparing two wrong things but the moral high ground of Hindutva is not acceptable at all. Today, Narendra Modi is returning to power in Gujarat but can we forget the scars of 2002 when the Hindutva lunatics even tore open the fetus of a pregnant woman who happened to be Muslim and killed her with that. Do we know what our forces have done in Kashmir and north East with the women there. I am not generalizing but the fact is rape is a tool in the hands of patriarchical society to kill the spirit of a human being. It will always be a tool as long as women’s life is linked to the ‘purity’ of her ‘body’. Purity exist in mind and just as someone violate does not make her impure and therefore it is important we develop that spirit but those who conceptualized the concept of ‘purity’ will never ever dare to change their social laws.

A woman is not complete without man and Sushma knows it well as she wear all those symbols which the Sangh Parivar and other brahmanical minds feel are symbol of ‘woman’s’ love for her ‘husband’ but people like me feel that they are an abject surrender of women’s individuality to men. The status of men and women can be found in our marriages and death ceremonies where women are absolutely told what is their status? The death of husband is followed by rituals and if you see those rituals, you would like to blast them if you have a heart but you accept them as part of culture. How the sindoor and the bindi are removed, how bangles are broken and how she is put in white saree is happening even today. Please do not think that they happen elsewhere but very much in our families. These brutal social norms need to be challenged all together. When a brother rapes or a father has incestuous relationship with daughter, we can see the level of society that we are in and it need a complete over haul. It does need a social revolution.

The best thing about Delhi is despite all criticism that the women and girls have not succumbed to these violence. Instead they have spoken against it. It has not changed the way they want to live life. In fact it is embolden them to raise their voice. The girl who is violated need our unconditional support and we need to salute her spirit. We hope she will survive and will become a role model for rest of the world and it is only possible when we all introspect and not treat this issue to score a few political points. Our social system has been brutal and oppressive and these things have been there for years but now they are getting exposed and it is time we change ourselves otherwise as a civilization we are perished. No amount of policing will help us recover that loss which our social values have imposed on us and hence if India want to look a civilized nation, it must change from today and it is not possible without its girls and women feel safe, secured and honored at home as well as work place. It is time our public transport system is strengthened and each citizen of the country is gender sensitized only then we would ensure that there is no repetition of such horrendous crime.

The symptoms of a perverse society

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat


The incident of rape in a moving bus in the posh South Delhi Zone has jolted the nation. The young girl who was travelling along with her friend was brutally assaulted and thrown naked on the road by the criminals. The Parliament spoke on it and our politicians along with many film stars ‘expressed’ ‘concern’ about the law and order situation in Delhi. Some want CCTV cameras everywhere while other wants commandos in the bus so that the goons can be tracked easily. Panelists on TV were giving different medicines including giving more power to police, high conviction rate in the fast track courts. Political leaders like Sushma Swaraj suggest that Death Penalty is the only answer for the rapists but the problem is they will continue to ignore the fact that a large number of people today are honorable member of various political parties despite various charges against them and would go to gallows if we admit Sushmaji’s suggestions. The problem is not whether there is death penalty or not, the issue is much larger. Shamefully, our politicians want to address the issue from other way round that if there is death penalty there will be lesser crime but we have all laws and the crime still continues. In many places in Uttarakhand, there were no police station and there was no crime. The crime only started after police station came into being in those regions hence the issue of violence against the marginalized including women is a much larger issue than mere law and order. Those who are diagnosing the disease wrongfully cannot really provide the answer to the issue.

Actually, though Delhi tops in the chart of violence against women yet the conviction rate in Delhi is much higher than rest of the country but then our point of discussion here is not just law and order but to understand what ails our society and why such brutal incidents are increasing day by day. Yesterday, Jaya Bachchan said that it is shame that this country where ‘women’ were treated as ‘goddesses’, such incidents are happening. And this argument holds true for all those who consider this issue related to law and order. Ofcourse, we need a strong law and order machinery but is it possible to police everything. We are already fighting against increasing policing in our private domain including web world. Aadhar card was being opposed because activist felt it is an intrusion in our private lives. The police checks are everywhere and even when they check at the airports and at metros, many feel they intrude in our private domain. Now, at the airport, at the metro, our private items become part of public display and a police man can check our bag and ask why I am taking a ‘wine bottle’ or anything else. In India more policing will only trouble you because it is bound to be misused. Haven’t we seen policemen blackmailing young couples in the park by threatening them to expose and take to their parents? In the name of protection they will always claim us to follow their diktats. There is no denying the fact that we need an efficient and modern looking police force with least political intervention but that possibility should only be made when the police force shed its own caste and religious bias. A few days back, I mentioned why our laws will fail because our mindset is still primitive where women is an object, to be seen, used, protected and promoted accordingly.

The objectification of women has further justified the thoughts of those who challenge her self-respect as most of them only would like women to see dancing as per their fancied world which is part of Hindi cinemas item culture. Is not it a duty of our media and our films to attempt make women much beyond ‘Item Number’. Our media debate on them and has given them respectability where women have to provide men sexual satisfaction. How and why have we given these rubbish respectability. Why do we think that women are ‘item number’ where men just jeer at every step of her in the films whether it is a Hindi, Malayali, Telugu or Bhojpuri films, women are made just as ‘sex tool’ or beauty without brain. The film fraternity always claim that it shows that truth shall prevail but the fact is the way ‘rape’ is romanticized in the Hindi films, it only strengthen those who want to replicate these things in the street with the firm belief that they can easily get away with. Once you start dodging the law, you feel everyday it would be the same but more important in these cases is not law, it is society. Rape is a form of revenge that if law will take care of me then you won’t remain the same for every.

Sushma Swaraj said that the girl become ‘jinda lash’ after the incident. I want to ask Sushmaji as why should a woman who is victimized become a ‘jinda laash’. In the heart, Sushma famous for invoking the ‘emotional’ quotient during her campaign against Sonia’s prime ministership that she would shave her head and live like a widow. Actually, when we re-emphasize these values of ‘jinda lash’, we justify them. This is the most potent weapon for misogynists against women that they violate her and killer her permanently as her social isolation is complete. In this case, this girl who is fighting for her life was travelling along with her friend who tried to protect her. While it is futile to speak about personal relationship, it will be a great day in India if despite such cases, the boy can promise the girl that he stand with her. At the end of the day, if our society stand with the people of such violence rather looking down upon them, will be the greatest victory of woman and humanity all together. The problem is that you will hang the perpetrator of the crime but that is not going to help the women who are victim of the assault? It is important to see how our system responds to issue. is the most important?

The case history of the Delhi thing is clear. The criminals who committed this crime could not tolerate the response from the girl. They felt offended that she was defending her friend. They asked him as why he was travelling with her in night. I know parents who have daughters will always be worried about as why should their daughter travel in Delhi after 7 pm. It is a worried sign as you cannot really trust anyone. The situation has come that we have reached to a situation where it is difficult to believe in any one and that is the collapse of the situation. As a society, we have failed to grow. We have other work but a society with feudal tendencies cannot grow and will never accept women with their head high. The issue here is that the feudal system cannot allow woman to answer back and hence in that situation the culprit know it well that even if he goes to jail, he will come out after some time as there are hundreds of counselors who can advise him how to escape the law but what happen to girl afterwards. She is dead as the society is unable to accept it. And all this is related to the concept of ‘purity’ of girls before marriage. It is this brutal fact which is used as a tool against women all the time, in war, in communal riots, in family animosity and in love that if I am unable to get you, I shall not allow you to live your life in comfort.

This country shamelessly speaks of great culture but it is just vulgarity. The grave fact is that we are a society which hates women. We pretend of respecting her but it is only possible if she is within her ‘lakshman rekha’ otherwise, we decide to teach her a lesson. Can India really call itself a civilized nation with so many ailments where girls are unwanted? If such incidents happen, who will want a girl child particularly when the families feel that girls are not safe in our cities, they will be killed for want of dowry. How does India as a nation respond to such situations which have become order of the day? Will our men and women now take up pledge that they will not further victimize the victim and honor her or the purity thing will continue to haunt us?

Let the law take its course but more than hanging the criminals, it is the issue of the woman who suffers enormous mental trauma and become socially disabled. It is time, that we respect all those women who resisted violence against them and honor them. It is time to make the victim feel part of life and the most important support for them can be her parents, friends, partners and schools. It is not a big world but if all these select people themselves are with the victim, her life will be back. And definitely, it would be great and reassuring for the girl if the boy who accompanied her and tried to protect her can say that he still love her and will be there with her thick and thin. India needs a renaissance, a mental change. As a society we have failed to grow as we violate everyone who is a threat to status quo, whether it is a woman or millions of those who are victims of caste system. Any careful scrutiny of our social system would prove how brutal and uncivilized we are? It is this country which is pretending to go to 21st century with a primitive social structure? Our political system may be democratic and secular but our society is still ruled by the Manismriti. Our policemen follow Manusmriti more than the constitution of India and hence it is time to educate every one and reemphasize on our constitutional values. Let those who are shedding tears accept it. How many of the film stars who are weeping today can say that they won’t accept a leading role where women is shown as brainless beauty and where we will have an item number. The day we glamorized and legitimized them, we legitimized violence against women too.

We cannot cry all the time as we need answers to these issues which haunt us every now and then and it is only possible when these victims will have no fear of social isolation after the accident they have in life. It is time, when the society thinks beyond mere policing of everything. A civilized society does not require police everywhere. The fact is that the government can provide policing but that would not change the society. Many times, the policemen are engaged in such acts hence it is a much bigger issue than mere policing. It is beyond that we accept that women are not just ‘item numbers’ but can contribute to our society equally if not more. Let us jolt this society more so it collapse and build a system based on equality, liberty and fraternity and it would be only be possible when the preamble of our constitution become heart of our people so that no girl is afraid of venturing out of her home in night and nobody is bothered as where she went, with whom and why? The only condition for an inclusive society is that our political system will have to provide rule of law to the people and the people need to embrace modern democratic values in life.