I normally avoid writing about news or politics related topics but I am going to make an exception today. The gruesome murder of young lawyer, Pallavi Purkayastha, in Mumbai last week shook me badly. I was so disturbed that I skipped a meal. A friend points out that there are hundreds and thousands of murders everyday and unfortunately she is one of them. So lets not think too much about it. What was left unsaid was that count your blessing you are not in her place.
But I am unable to stop myself from being deeply disturbed. The reason is simple enough. She is too close for comfort. A middle-class working woman trying to build her career in the big city of Mumbai. Her only mistake is that she didn't realise this man was keeping a tab on her...if she had she would have probably gone without electricity on that fateful night. The second is that she didn't bolt the door from inside. Nevertheless these are small human lapses and one doesn't deserve to die in such grusome manner because of them.
As I see it working women in the country are at crossroads today. On one end they are lauded for being economically independent and taking control of their lives. On the flip side a section of the society is unable to accept or even comprehend their behavior and choices. Did the guard think she was available just because she was living in with someone; was coming late from work; was going out with friends to pubs?
What these kind of incidents mean is that freedom comes at a price. It is like patriarchy claiming that we allow you to be economically independent but thou shalt not break the rules. You still have to abide by the unwritten code of society. This is a very dangerous trend. The very reason of providing education is that they the person can now take his/her own decisions. If the society does not allows it or accepts it then this education has no meaning really. We might as well be living under Taliban. And Taliban is pretty clear about how they treat their women. The dichotomy here is sending conflicting message to Indian women. Can we exercise our right to freedom (read exist, really!!) or do we do that at our own peril?
But I am unable to stop myself from being deeply disturbed. The reason is simple enough. She is too close for comfort. A middle-class working woman trying to build her career in the big city of Mumbai. Her only mistake is that she didn't realise this man was keeping a tab on her...if she had she would have probably gone without electricity on that fateful night. The second is that she didn't bolt the door from inside. Nevertheless these are small human lapses and one doesn't deserve to die in such grusome manner because of them.
As I see it working women in the country are at crossroads today. On one end they are lauded for being economically independent and taking control of their lives. On the flip side a section of the society is unable to accept or even comprehend their behavior and choices. Did the guard think she was available just because she was living in with someone; was coming late from work; was going out with friends to pubs?
What these kind of incidents mean is that freedom comes at a price. It is like patriarchy claiming that we allow you to be economically independent but thou shalt not break the rules. You still have to abide by the unwritten code of society. This is a very dangerous trend. The very reason of providing education is that they the person can now take his/her own decisions. If the society does not allows it or accepts it then this education has no meaning really. We might as well be living under Taliban. And Taliban is pretty clear about how they treat their women. The dichotomy here is sending conflicting message to Indian women. Can we exercise our right to freedom (read exist, really!!) or do we do that at our own peril?
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