My father called me to watch the news of the gang rape that took place in Rewari. He told me that the girl had topped Haryana in her class twelfth and that she was raped by her boyfriend and two of his friends. He had called me to advise me against having a boyfriend and going out with somebody.
My question to everybody out there is why was I the one who got the advice? Why are girls the only ones given instructions, when it’s the boys who go on to commit crimes? I value my father’s love and concern for me, but he didn’t bother to call my brothers to tell them that they must not do something like this to their girlfriends – his instructions were just for me.
Our parents go on stopping us using the logic that we might get attacked so we need to stay at home. Is it the right way to handle the situation though? Will the crime stop automatically?
Do you ever think that if men don’t find their prey outside, they may start looking for them in people’s houses as well? They’ll get in, shoot you, and will do whatever they want with your daughters. So, why not stop them and try to teach them basic human decency before they turn into monsters? Do you even realize where the actual problem lies? Let me answer that for you – it lies in your mindset.
This situation is very similar to our Indian Cleanliness campaign. We ask people not to use polythene bags but don’t take the initiative to stop their manufacturing.
If bags aren’t disposed of after use, then they’ll be disposed of unused. And the problem will be the same, regardless of the hard work. Hence, stop ‘manufacturing’ such elements. And remember that charity begins at home.