I pick up my Times Of India everyday. All I find on page 3 is When, Who and By Whom a girl was raped, murdered, assaulted or eve teased… ( Though ‘BY WHOM’ should be the most integral part of the above statement but most of the times it’s the ‘BY WHOM’ only who slips from the hands of our very own Law Guardians). The Fourth Estate fulfills their duty by putting across news like that otherwise it does not take time to hide such incidents under covers. And this has happened on so many occasions. On so many occasions the Protectors of Law have themselves crossed their dogmas and committed such heinous crimes.
Anyways the issue here is not this. All what I wonder is We, the general public when come across such news, how do we feel like? Agitated, Mortified, Choleric??? But what do we do about it? NOTHING. Some protests, candle march, and after few weeks the report vanishes off right in front of us.
Phew………. Like any other girl, I feel a bit scared when I think that something like this might happen to me or maybe anyone in my family. Afterall how safe is Delhi, we all know it… The very thought once came to my Dad’s mind and maybe that’s why when I was only 5 year old, he sent me to my self defense classes. At that time I did not realize its worth but now I am so much at peace when I think that yes, maybe to a particular stand, I can take care of myself… And another thought that used to cross my mind was that maybe if some incident like this happens in front of me and if by chance a girl needs me, I wont even think twice whether to help her or not. I would just simply do it…. NO MATTER WHAT. This confidence of mine broke a week back when this happened….
It was 9:30 am and I was in car with my friend going to my office. A red scooty caught my attention and the girl too was wearing a red top (with a red helmet)… Such matching people do, was smiling to myself while watching her….. Suddenly what I see is that a guy on bike, probably 24 – 27 year old comes so close to her scooty and start interacting with her. Constantly looking at her, passing comments, his bike being just 5 inches away from her scooty. The girl did not respond at all. I saw them for about 5 seconds and pointed the scene to my friend who was driving. He saw them and said that the scooty’s tyre is wobbling so maybe he is pointing that out. I remained still but kept my gaze on them when suddenly a roundabout came. We people had to take a right while the girl took a left, and along with her that biker too. I and my friend both saw them taking the turn and it was clearly visible that the biker was harassing her somewhat by passing lewd comments which she was ignoring. All I said to my friend was ‘ lets go behind them please, he is troubling her’. And my friend just remained so numb to my statement and off course he never took that turn and we went on our way. Don’t know what stopped him???
I was feeling like a wimp. After all that I thought I could do, after being so equipped with everything, I still could not save that girl. God knows what happened after that. Don’t have any clue what the result of all of it was. How did it end, did he finally leave her, how long was he behind her, did anyone intruded them or not??? So many questions in my mind but all what my conscience tells me that I was a f****** coward at that time.
This incident is haunting me from the time I left them. Not a single day pass when I don’t think about that girl. We can just speak afterall about our guts, our courage, grit etc etc etc. But how many us actually try to stop it??? WE JUST READ, WE SEE , WE IGNORE, WE FORGET, We do every damm nonsense but not what is required.
I feel ashamed that I could not use my abilities for someone else’s protection. I hope this tormenting thought leaves me eventually which I know it won’t. I am sorry All Mighty. I am sorry Dad. But most of all I am sorry to that red top, red scooty, red helmet girl whose name I would never know and whose thought would NEVER go…
Anyways the issue here is not this. All what I wonder is We, the general public when come across such news, how do we feel like? Agitated, Mortified, Choleric??? But what do we do about it? NOTHING. Some protests, candle march, and after few weeks the report vanishes off right in front of us.
Phew………. Like any other girl, I feel a bit scared when I think that something like this might happen to me or maybe anyone in my family. Afterall how safe is Delhi, we all know it… The very thought once came to my Dad’s mind and maybe that’s why when I was only 5 year old, he sent me to my self defense classes. At that time I did not realize its worth but now I am so much at peace when I think that yes, maybe to a particular stand, I can take care of myself… And another thought that used to cross my mind was that maybe if some incident like this happens in front of me and if by chance a girl needs me, I wont even think twice whether to help her or not. I would just simply do it…. NO MATTER WHAT. This confidence of mine broke a week back when this happened….
It was 9:30 am and I was in car with my friend going to my office. A red scooty caught my attention and the girl too was wearing a red top (with a red helmet)… Such matching people do, was smiling to myself while watching her….. Suddenly what I see is that a guy on bike, probably 24 – 27 year old comes so close to her scooty and start interacting with her. Constantly looking at her, passing comments, his bike being just 5 inches away from her scooty. The girl did not respond at all. I saw them for about 5 seconds and pointed the scene to my friend who was driving. He saw them and said that the scooty’s tyre is wobbling so maybe he is pointing that out. I remained still but kept my gaze on them when suddenly a roundabout came. We people had to take a right while the girl took a left, and along with her that biker too. I and my friend both saw them taking the turn and it was clearly visible that the biker was harassing her somewhat by passing lewd comments which she was ignoring. All I said to my friend was ‘ lets go behind them please, he is troubling her’. And my friend just remained so numb to my statement and off course he never took that turn and we went on our way. Don’t know what stopped him???
I was feeling like a wimp. After all that I thought I could do, after being so equipped with everything, I still could not save that girl. God knows what happened after that. Don’t have any clue what the result of all of it was. How did it end, did he finally leave her, how long was he behind her, did anyone intruded them or not??? So many questions in my mind but all what my conscience tells me that I was a f****** coward at that time.
This incident is haunting me from the time I left them. Not a single day pass when I don’t think about that girl. We can just speak afterall about our guts, our courage, grit etc etc etc. But how many us actually try to stop it??? WE JUST READ, WE SEE , WE IGNORE, WE FORGET, We do every damm nonsense but not what is required.
I feel ashamed that I could not use my abilities for someone else’s protection. I hope this tormenting thought leaves me eventually which I know it won’t. I am sorry All Mighty. I am sorry Dad. But most of all I am sorry to that red top, red scooty, red helmet girl whose name I would never know and whose thought would NEVER go…
2 comments:
the problem lies in the psyche of our society - men n women. y do u think that u alone or for that matter ne gal who knows some self defence techniques can protect themselves ? ne1 can and should.. the gal who was being harrassed should ve initiated this rite there n then but she preferd to be 'decent'... n we,the society, share the traits with her...
i understand your feelings but u should not get angry with yourself and do whatever u can for this cause. Even writing about these that u are doing now is a great thing actually that u r doing as atleast u r keeping the issue alive and educating the youth whats right n whats wrong!!! Sometimes the results are not that easily achievable...we have to keep doing our jobs with whatever power n will we have and be optimistic.
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