Scene 1
It is a cold winter night of December, time 9 pm. A girl is standing at the side of the road waiting for her father to pick her up. The thoughts are continuously flowing in her mind-" why didn't I inform my father immediately when my friend told me that she cannot drop me home? Why didn't I insist her to stay with me until my father came??? ." She did not think that it was such a serious matter as it was to be hardly a ten minutes wait. But then why were these 10 minutes becoming 10 hours???? She could feel the unease not because of the night but because of two eyes from the other side ogling at her .Oh papa come soon!!! she sighed. " No, no harm can happen," she was confident but the very next moment her fingers automatically pressed the option phone book and there was the number on the screen and fingertips on the call, just in case she needs .
Scene 2
Night 11:15 pm- She is returning home in a local bus after attending a cultural programme at her alma mater. She is elated that she could attend the function after her office. She is tired and sleepy. She can see two or three passengers in the bus. She gets down at her stop. Her house is five minutes walk away. She starts walking. As she enjoys the breeze she remembers a song and starts singing while walking on the pavement sidewalk. She can see a figure on the other side of the road. She continues her walk in the same fashion and approaches her building.
The girl is same in both the scenes but her state of mind is different, the reason being that the places are different. The first place is New Delhi and the latter is Bangkok. The girl of course is me!!
Indian society respects women. Hue and cry on the issues like women reservation, women liberty, women empowerment, gender equity etc is rampant. As compared to the old times, today's woman is indeed powerful and liberated but it has come with a heavy cost. The cases of harassment, molestation, rape and eve teasing have shooted up or at least are more in records now. Metro cities are converting in crime cities.
Parents' concern for their daughter's safety is but obvious. Girls in particular and women in general have learnt to live and face the vultures who wait for their prey at any nook and corner, road side, market places, work places or public gatherings I don't think there will be any woman in India who has not come across a single case of eve teasing. What worse can be expected when the guardians of law themselves exploit women and break all the laws.
Having spent some time in Thailand, I experienced that there are still some countries where such issues have no existence. She is considered an equal in all aspects. In buses or trains we do not find seats for 'women only'. There is no separate beauty saloon, gym or educational institute just for the female gender. I do not see parents worrying for their girl child's safety. She does not think that she should not step out of the house all alone in the night, as it is not safe. I have never come across a single stance of eve teasing, derogatory comments or infact any staring or ogling
I like and support the Indian culture, tradition and my upbringing but when the question arises on the safety of this vulnerable group I cannot resist thinking of the demons that do not miss any chance of abusing women for their sheer pleasure.
Am I paranoid or filled with prejudices about the state of women?
Considering this as a platform I ask my fellow ilanders to opine their thought on how can "she" and her parents feel that "she" is safe? How can she walk alone on the road after sunset without feeling insecure? How? How??How??? ..
Dear Ilanders,
I see the oasis in the desert
Tum na aaye, tumhari yaad aayi
