Nowadays crime against women is very common in our society.Domestic violence, rape, eve teasing has become a trivial thing .Every woman and girl, no matter of what age, whether she is a 70 year old woman or a year old Girl child, she is not safe.
No matter how she dresses, whether she wears a sari or a salwar -suit , Burkha or frock, she is always seductive for men.
There are many cases of violence in which women were treated brutally. Men get super powers to beat women, specially their wives. If a woman refuses to accept the situation in which she is compelled to live, she deserves to be beaten like a drum,this is what men think.
Outraging the modesty of women may be one of the favorite things of some of the Indian men. It is evident truth which requires no proof. You can find many examples of it.
In my village, it is a tradition that if a person beats his wife and his wife bears all the harassment silently, he would be considered a true man, Otherwise people will label him an eunuch.
Mahto family who lives near my house is no different.
Moto Kaka, who died last month had three sons.
The Elder son often quarrels with his wife ,but there is an exception. The wife dominates the husband.
The Second one, loves his wife passionately and they live Happily on their small budget.
And the youngest is alcoholic and takes various drugs which are forbidden by law.
He is a gambler. He is arrogant and he used to abuse His father when he was alive.. By the grace of god, his father died last month.
He often beats his wife, and at times his cruelty, crosses the limit.
He fears my father only. He has a problem with the public due to his arrogance.
Two months ago, he created a drama and Badly hurt his wife. When a blood curdling situation comes and people who were a mute spectator of the scene felt that the lady is dead, then only one boy from the crowd called the Police.
When The husband thought that his wife is dead , he Ran away from the Village.But fortunately ,the woman was saved .
The family begged her not to file the complaint and she agreed to it.And the police couldn’t find anything to proceed further.
Actually the boy who informed, thought that the lady had died and he informed the police on phone that the husband has killed his wife, that’s why police had even brought the shroud to cover the dead body.
Inspector started to abuse the victim’s Family and asked the Crowd about who had informed Them about the case?
Three young boys came forward. One named Pardeshi who had called the police, another one Balram Whose mobile was used, and last one a spectator Parashuram. They were arrested at 1.30 am. The ground to arrest was ‘furnishing the false information’ under section 177 of Indian penal code.
The Boys were innocent but still they were arrested and accused, ran away. what a great rule of law.
Next morning when my father came to know the facts, quickly he went to the police station. The Station House officer came to him when he Saw him in the police station. He told him the last night story .He was bit disturbed on the arrest of innocent boys, he scolded him badly. Sometimes being an advocate has its privileges.
He said, ” instead of arresting the accused you have detained innocent boys. Who will inform you after all this torture. People will not help you in other cases.How you became the police officer when you don’t even know what is your duty. Without any inspection, without any evidence you arrested them, you have committed a blunder.”
Officer accepted his mistake and freed boys from his custody ,removing all criminal charges.
The man again came back after a month from Delhi on the death ceremony of his father. On the next day of the ceremony,he again heinously beat his wife.
The reason was wife didn’t wait for him at the dinner. He drank whole night and made a lot of noise in his home. People again gathered there.
We were watching the repeat telecast of a Hindi serial, Devon Ke Dev Mahadev on Star Utsav. The time was 11pm, suddenly someone knocked the door. I opened the door, i saw a lady, badly injured. She was weeping furiously. Her sister, mother- in- law, niece and brother- in law gathered around her to protect her from her husband.
Her husband requested me to get her out of our House. He just wanted to beat his wife at any cost.
He said, ” Babu! Let me allow to kill her. She lost her chastity towards me. She doesn’t respect me. She is dust of my feet, but doesn’t accept it. Let me allow to kill her today.”
I scolded him, and said, “come tomorrow and I will hear you, but right now i will not listen anything. Leave the place right now.”
Suddenly my phone rang and i turned back to receive the call. As soon as i reached to the table to pick the phone, he crashed our door He came to my father and said , “Chacha! She is a betrayer, she doesn’t respect me, i will kill her.”
When he is in his senses,he fears, my father and my brother,but because of alcohol he forgets who he is talking to.
He changes his way when he sees my father is coming,but once he is drunk he forgets everything and everyone.
His wife was sitting near the chair of my Dadi, Still he tried to beat her again.
Papa never show anger in any situation but this time he started to beat him.
After being slapped he realized that he had done something wrong.
My father dragged him outside the room and warned him. He reminded him that police is still searching him for his misconduct that night when the boys were arrested.
But he didn’t care about anything whatever papa told.
He again said to my father, “chacha! I am your son you can behead me, but today let me allow to kill her. You didn’t hear me. You are being partial, instead of scolding her you beat me.”
My father again scolded him, after an hour he calmed down and went to his home.
Papa told his wife “you may go now.”
She returned to her home, but left the zillions question for me-
Why a woman is compelled to live with her husband in subhuman circumstances?
Why a woman is treated as a property of a husband?
Why she tolerates cruelty and pain caused by her husband? Which type of Dharma it is?
Why a girl doesn’t feel safe in society without marrying?
Why a woman tolerates the society ,which outrages her modesty?
Why she has to prove chastity again and again towards her husband?
Why a husband always suspects on his wife?
Why a girl feels unsafe when she leaves her home or when she is alone in her home?
Why our government remains silent when women and girls are being raped?
Why a woman often becomes the target of exploitation, cruelty, acid attack, rape and compelled to live in wretched situations?
I am trying to find one reason why should i be proud of my country, countrymen and society?.
On rape or domestic violence or acid attack on girls or rape with murder?
In my country women are not safe. They have to bear pain satire,lewd comments.
This is the great democracy of the world where women still need justice.
I hate my countrymen , stop calling yourself a man if you fail to protect women.
A Rapiest can rape his sister, mother and relatives because a womanizer can do anything.
Tell me, why India is great, For the ranking in rapes, for female feticide , For horror killing?
Shame on you society. One day your silence will destroy the dignity of the nation. Collaborators! Shame on you,
The future generation will repent their birth, why they took birth on land of “actus Reus”.
–
Abhishek Shukla
Indian Institute Of Mass Communication
New Delhi.