In response to the gangrape and brutal murder of Nirbhaya in a New Delhi bus or gangrape of a journalist within the premises of Shakti Mills in Mumbai; the “conscientious”, “progressive” “upright” “enlightened” ladies of Kolkata — right from students of reputed institutions to corporate honchos to homemakers — religiously used to march through the city streets with “fire in one eye and tear in another” and a burning candle held high!
But when a vulnerable helpless 12-year-old footpath dweller gets gang raped and murdered by two lumpen drivers of a “glamorous” cab company in Kolkata; why don’t those “modern” “brave” ladies venture out on the streets with a “solemn” face and candles in hand?
Thus it gets clearly proved beyond doubt that only when any girl of middle class background aspiring to learn medicine or working as a journalist gets gang raped by the people of “low class” i.e. drivers, helpers or urchins; protest against such atrocities needs to be registered! But if a mere daughter of footpath gets brutally gang raped and murdered; then far from registering minimum protest, our ladies of Kolkata prefer to pursue their careers, dine in high-end restaurants or remain immersed in the barbaric Bollywood, discos and night clubs! Indeed Abhijeet Mukherjee had very rightly stated that all norms of “candle-march” are nothing but a fashion show of “dented and painted women”. Just because Mukherjee had dared to call spade the spade; the bunch of hypocrites including the media, politicians and “intellectuals” had raised such an unprecedented hue and cry revolving the statement that he was compelled to apologize publicly . But the double-standard being exemplified by the Kolkata ladies, following the brutal death of the innocent 12-year old flower of the footpath, provides direct proof of Mukherjee’s absolutely true statement. Hats off to Mukherjee for pointing out the bitter reality. When the decision to protest or not protest against gang rape takes place after taking into account the class and social status of the rapists and the victims; all norms of that “selective protest” turn into a farce and simply a fashion-show of “dented and painted women”.
And less said about the politicians. media, “intellectuals” and Indian public the better. Only when gang rape takes in New Delhi or Mumbai, that too on girls of privileged or glamorous background, that too by people of “low class”; do the “collective conscience” of the nation gets awakened overnight prompting statements from Prime Minister, President, Chief Ministers and even laws get amended!
