Confession Time – Updated on February 13th, 2018

While driving to the office today, I heard this discussion on one of the FM channels – apparently, there is a video clip of a girl being misbehaved with that is grabbing attention across Delhi. I have not seen the clip and don't want to – honestly, is there anything shocking about it? From what I have seen, people in the city are not ready to take up the cause of watching out for each other. The confession is about me too not intervening when the moment called for it. This was somewhere in 2005 – 06. I had just boarded the public transport bus and a seemingly drunk guy was arguing with a lady. There were about 14 – 15 more passengers aboard but none of us intervened when things got more graphic, the altercation escalated into something I hadn’t expected at all. I confess to being a coward at that moment, not standing up for a lady who was obviously the victim there. The conductor at that time takes the cake for re-assuring that people in the city just don't bother to help anyone, his words being “…jab dikh gaya thaa kee yeh aadmee ney pee rakhee hai toh alag baith jaatee”.

Metro: The Last, Save Haven for Women in the City?

This might sound shocking to some of you, but to me it makes perfect sense. The recent wave of anguish and helplessness among people and their attempts to protect the women of Delhi got me started thinking if there was a place that could be considered safe within the capital region. Come to think of it, women have been groped, molested, raped, and murdered within their homes, offices, public parks, and upmarket hang-outs. What does this suggest? Firstly, we, as a city, should stop priding ourselves on living in the capital of India. A city that has its soul bloodied with women and minor girls on an everyday basis just cannot be projected as the seat of political or financial might. On that note, I would also like to add that we, as a nation, shouldn't be too gung-ho about Democracy. We have manipulated and shamed every constitutional right and a country that cannot even respect its soldiers should keep its mouth shut and not roar about being the biggest Democracy. Coming back to this discussion, it emerged that the Delhi Metro was perhaps the only place in the city that can be officially termed "safe" for women, i.e., the front bogie reserved for female commuters. The story can take an ugly turn in the general bogies, but so far, the Metro has managed a reasonably impressive record. Thanks to the combined strength of fellow women passengers, absence of threats (men) and strict penalties on those who try to force their way in with the typical, 'Chalta Hai' attitude, the women's bogie of the Delhi Metro is at least one spot in the city where a lady can be forgiven for thinking that she is living in the capital of a behemoth, billion-people nation. 

Updated on January 29th, 2018

Just saw the brave women and men recognized for their courage at the 26th January parade in New Delhi. Just makes me wonder that if half of us started fighting back, the entire mob of idiots who assume us for ready victims, break the law jokingly, and scoff at the system that rules us, things would be a lot better. When you see a woman being harassed at work or in public transit, do you try and get involved or at least try to polarize others towards the event so that someone can intervene and save the day? There are superheroes, we have to look out for each other...this is not some emotionally-ridden thought for the day, but the sad reality that we just don't accept.