Tribute to Nirbhaya : The reason we were prompted to do all this!

          Nirbhaya- The media called her. It means ‘no fear’. It stands for hope, for a fervent prayer that no more women will be subjected to the brutality that she had to go through. Though it has been a year, the cases of women being harassed has only reached a new high. But arguments on one side tell us, there has actually been not much change in the number of incidents. NO. What has changed is the number of cases that are actually being reported, publicised, and condemned. And then there are the breed of people who say the media is ‘cashing on’ the ‘trend’ of abuse against women.

          We have no time to waste over such wastrels. To the candle holders who haven’t forgotten the brave-heart, be patient and trudge on the path. Deliverance will come to you one day. To the ‘general public’ who are actually cats on the wall, too shy to support openly, too soft hearted to forget the incident, we ask nothing more from you than teaching your sons not to objectify women, and your daughters to stand up to any one. To our third group of the population, who think this is no big thing, we pray sincerely that you don’t have to face such brutality. We pray that you should be able to live in your blissful ignorance. Peace be to you. To those of you who say women are to be blame for incidents, we have no words for you other than ‘please, get a life!’

          But there is a reason we call Nirbhaya our brave-heart. It is not because she was abused. It was because she survived it, even if for a few days! It was because in the light of her case, many ignorant people realised the horrors. The reality set in. People began campaigning. No one is going to forget the crowd that assembled in Delhi that day, in cold winter. They may pretend to forget, to overlook, but deep in, it set in. The inescapable reality. Hard cold fact that no woman is safe in this world. That men more brutal than animals exist.

          When people ask us what we hope to change, we wish to say a few points.

·        Nirbhaya was a sacrifice at the altar of change. No one but the rapists are responsible for her situation. But we can honour her memory by remembering what she died for. Why her life was taken away from her so suddenly, so brutally.

·        If we women had put down our foot harder and a bit earlier, such incidents might have been avoided. We might have had stricter laws for punishment. If any such laws come now, we owe it to her. Her fate put the whole issue in the spotlight. No one wanted it, but does not mean it has to be our first step towards a better nation.

·        Women and men across the country should teach their sons that they are not superior, (neither inferior) to women. And they should teach their daughters to stand up to anyone who might offend them. It does not do to bow down to beasts.

          We implore you to remember, if there had been stricter laws in the first place, who knows? Poor Nirbhaya might still be among us, feeling safer in her cosy home rather than be the highlight of such condolence and tribute posts. Whenever you notice another such item on the news, don’t cringe. Instead do your bit to make sure there are no more such incidents. When every citizen takes this vow, there will be little left for the government to do. Remember Nirbhaya. Who could have lived a full life but died because some beasts in human skin used her. Remember the girls after her who were subjected to the same fate. Remember the proud women this nation was once home of. Remember the paradise it would become if only we united to clean our society of filth! Jai Hind!