The Wish & The Battle Inside

http://indiagestao.blogspot.in/2013/07/feminismo.html - I regularly follow a blog that serves as a reflection of the India I inhabit. It acts as a mirror, constantly challenging me: am I doing enough? Each day, I begin with prayers and the recitation of sacred mantras in search of tranquility. However, most days my prayers seem to go unanswered. Today, I was confronted with the news of IAS Durga Shakti Nagpal's suspension – the courageous woman who stood against land and sand mafias. An influential politician boasted about orchestrating her suspension within forty minutes under the guise of protecting secularism and religious harmony. The manner in which religion is exploited by the corrupt deeply troubles me, as it reveals the extent to which immoral actions can be justified in the name of God. Moreover, another recent incident saw all political parties uniting against the Supreme Court's ruling to ban criminals from politics. Not one politician or political party has supp...

It took years of injustice and innumerable cases of rape for one incident to finally capture the public's attention. This time, people didn't need a leader to awaken them from their slumber; their repressed anger demanded an outlet. The voices that had been silenced for years coalesced into a collective outcry that could no longer be ignored or suppressed. This led to changes in the outdated laws on sexual offenses. The Justice Verma Panel identified "failure of governance" as the root cause of sexual crime, criticizing the government, police, and the public's apathy. It recommended significant changes. While many recommendations are commendable, the panel's stance on rapists remains too lenient. The key points of contention include: Rape offenders will face rigorous imprisonment of no less than seven years, potentially extending to life imprisonment. Punishment for causing death or a persistent vegetative state will be rigorous imprisonment of no less than 20...

My friend Rajush was approaching the prime age for marriage, and his parents were diligently searching for a suitable bride. I met him a week ago, and since then, I've been meaning to write this blog. This piece is not about a person, a family, or a tradition, but rather the society we live in. As I spoke with Rajush, I couldn't help but ponder the plight of a girl child in India. This plight is not limited to the girl child but extends to the entire society. Even in the context of marriage, a wonderful institution, some of the practices and traditions we've adopted or perpetuated over the ages are not just questionable but downright absurd. Rajush was entering into an arranged marriage, and as simple as it sounds, it is indeed ARRANGED from the very beginning. Everything in this arrangement is taken into account. Every arrangement involves its own set of negotiations, and Rajush, being rather naive in these matters, felt disheartened by his experiences thus far. The most s...