3/9/2015

WishingawayIndiascultureofrapeTheHindu

OpinionComment
WishingawayIndiascultureofrape
RukminiS

Illustration:SatwikGade
LesleeUdwinsdocumentaryneedstobeairedandwatchedsothatwedonotcontinuetomisdiagnosetherootsofsexualviolenceand
focusonfixingthewrongthings

InaninterviewshortlyafterthereleaseofhisbookInColdBlood,TrumanCapotesaidofthemotivesofoneofthetwo
killerswhosestoriesthebooktold:IbelievePerrydidwhathedidforthereasonshehimselfstatesthathislifewas
aconstantaccumulationofdisillusionmentsandreversesandhesuddenlyfoundhimself(intheClutterhousethat
night)inapsychologicalculdesac.TheCluttersweresuchaperfectsetofsymbolsforeveryfrustrationinhislife.As
Perryhimselfsaid,Ididnthaveanythingagainstthem,andtheyneverdidanythingwrongtomethewayother
peoplehaveallmylife.Maybetheyrejusttheoneswhohadtopayforit.
NoonewhohasreadthebookwillcomeawayfeelingthatMr.CapotebelievedthistobeajustificationofPerrySmiths
actions,butthebookofferedarareinsightintothemindofakiller.AtatimewhenIndianeedsaninsightintothe
mindofarapistinordertorecalibrateitsowninstitutionalresponses,thecountryisinsteadchoosinganostrichlike
responseburyingitsheadinsand.
Journalismhasalonghistoryofinterviewingthoseconvictedofheinouscrimesincludingmassmurder,rapeand
cannibalism.Yet,onMarch3,theDelhipoliceregisteredaFirstInformationReportagainstfilmmakerLesleeUdwin
forherdocumentaryIndiasDaughteronrapeinthecountry,andonMarch4,followingthenightofnewsshows
railingagainstthedocumentary,aDelhicourtstoppeditsbroadcast,andtheUniongovernmentwarnedtelevision
channelsagainstairingit.
Misdiagnosingtheproblem
Issuesoffreedomofexpressionapart,thedocumentary,includingitsinterviewswithconvictedrapists,needstobe
airedandwatchedsothatwedonotcontinuetomisdiagnosetherootsofsexualviolenceinIndiaandfocusonfixing
thewrongthings.
Inexcerptsreleasedfromaninterviewfromjailthatformspartofthedocumentary,MukeshSingh,whohasbeen
convictedoftheDecember162012gangrape,saysthatthedeceasedvictimwastoblameforherrapeforwearingthe
wrongclothesandbeingoutwithaboylateatnight.Mukeshsrepugnantcommentsareechoedbyoneofthedefence
lawyers,A.P.Singh,whotellsMs.Udwinthathewouldsetablazehissisterordaughterifsheengagedinpremarital
activities.AnotherlawyerM.L.Sharmaisastepworse.Ifyoukeepsweetsonthestreetthendogswillcomeandeat
them.Whydid[her]parentssendherwithanyonethatlateatnight?hesays.Anothermanconvictedofrapingaten
yearoldtellsMs.Udwin,shewasabeggarchild.Herlifehadnovalue.
Statementssuchasthese,whichseparatethegoodgirlfromthebadgirl,arenotrare,andhavebeenmaderepeatedly
byleadingpoliticiansofthecountrysuchasHaryanaChiefMinisterManoharLalKhattar.Mr.Khattarsaidduringhis
electioncampaignthatifagirlisdresseddecently,aboywillnotlookatherinthewrongway.NationalistCongress
PartyleaderAshaMirjesaidinearly2014,DidNirbhayareallyhavetogotowatchamovieat11inthenightwithher
friend?TaketheShaktiMillsgangrapecase.Whydidthe(victim)gotosuchanisolatedspotat6p.m.?Acoupleof
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/oped/wishingawayindiascultureofrape/article6959726.ece

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3/9/2015

WishingawayIndiascultureofrapeTheHindu

daysback,avideoofarightwingleadersayinginthepresenceofBharatiyaJanataPartyMPYogiAdityanaththat
Muslimwomenscorpsesshouldbedugupandrapedresurfaced.
Thereisnopoliceforceintheworldandnomobileappthatcancompletelypreventrapeaslongastherearemenwho
believethatwomenwhoasserttheirownchoicesdeservetoberapedorkilled,orthatapoorgirlslifehasnovalue,or
thatrapeisalegitimatetoolofcasteandreligioushatred.
Yet,theinstitutionalresponseofthestateinthetwoandahalfyearsfollowingtheDecember16gangrapehascentred
aroundpolicing,selfdefenceforwomenandtechnologyledsolutionsincludingpanicbuttonsintaxisandsafetyapps.
ThereislittleclarityonwhattheRs.1,000croreNirbhayaFundannouncedbytheearlierUnitedProgressiveAlliance
government,towhichFinanceMinisterArunJaitleyrecentlyaddedanotherRs.1,000crore,willdo,butsomemoney
hasbeenallottedtomakingpublictransportsafer.
Changinggenderdynamics
TherehavebeenfewconcretestepstakentochangegenderdynamicsinIndiaandassertthatwomensfreedomtotake
theirowndecisionsofdress,oflove,ofeducation,ofworkisbothessential,andattherootofIndiasrapeculture.
Ifleadersaremorecautiousaboutmakingmisogynisticstatements,whathasreplaceditisstatementslikethosemade
byInformationandBroadcastingministerRajyavardhanRathore,whowhilenotsayingthatwomenshouldstop
workinginfrontlinejobsinthearmyorinthemedia,suggestedthatmorebackendjobswouldbebettersuitedfor
them.Similarly,whenKissofLoveprotestsbrokeoutacrossthecountryinresponsetomoralpolicing,theprotests
werenotmuscularlybackedbythestate,anddozensofprotesterswerearrested.
IfIndiahadreadthemindsofitsrapistsandmolesterscorrectly,andhadacknowledgedthatwomensfreedomsare
whatoffendthesecriminalsandtheirdefenders,therewouldhavebeennoneedforanIndiasDaughter.
Unfortunately,itisonlywheninterviewsofthisnatureareconductedthatwewilleverknowhowmanymeninIndia
stillthinkofwomen.Theleastwecandoisacthonestlyandimmediatelyontheserepugnantattitudes.
UnionMinisterVenkaiahNaidusaidonMarch4thatadocumentarythatdefamesIndiawouldnotbeallowedtobe
aired.Unfortunately,allthiswilldoisonceagaingivecovertothemenwhoseviewsdiminishIndia.
rukmini.shrinivasan@thehindu.co.in
Keywords:documentary,LesleeUdwin,December16gangrape,India'sDaughter
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