Culture indeed
In a recent global survey, it turned out that Indians are the proudest of their country's unique culture. Sometimes I wonder which culture we are talking about.
The culture which has us worshipping goddesses in the puja ghar and trying to rip the clothes off two girls on New year's eve, as it happened in Mumbai just yesterday?
The culture which thinks it's okay to scan foetuses and abort the girls or smother them to death as infants while continuing the religion of 'boy-is-king'?
The culture which thinks a women ought to be grateful to her husband who 'lets her work' as long as she ensures everything within the home is taken care of?
The culture which thinks it correct to let the woman earn but gives her no right over her own income?
The culture which takes upon itself the role of moral police and tells our youth, in particular young women, to stay within 'the bounds' as defined by the police?
The culture which has the time to chase young couples out of parks on Valentine's Day but not to chase after and book sexual molestors who are openly harassing women in public?
The culture which spends its time whining about how women wearing jeans are against our national culture, but does not protest that scores of Dalit women are raped in a caste war?
The culture which enables the Police commissioner in Kolkata to tell Priyanka Todi to break her marriage and go back to her parents whom she is 'shaming' by marrying out of her own choice?
The culture which empowers the police chief in Bombay to not register a complaint against the hooligans who molested the girls yesterday, but merely chase them away and then waste a whole day in bellyaching about jurisdiction?
The culture which always, but always, holds women responsible for whatever ills befall them, be it rape or molestation, being beaten by their husbands or parents and brothers, sexually harassed at work, being called 'baanjh' for not bearing children...
The culture which holds women accountable for ensuring their own safety while not lifting a finger to either help them or pursue the attackers?
The culture which simultaneously enables the victimising of women and holds women to be the wrong-doer for being a victim?
The culture which has us worshipping goddesses in the puja ghar and trying to rip the clothes off two girls on New year's eve, as it happened in Mumbai just yesterday?
The culture which thinks it's okay to scan foetuses and abort the girls or smother them to death as infants while continuing the religion of 'boy-is-king'?
The culture which thinks a women ought to be grateful to her husband who 'lets her work' as long as she ensures everything within the home is taken care of?
The culture which thinks it correct to let the woman earn but gives her no right over her own income?
The culture which takes upon itself the role of moral police and tells our youth, in particular young women, to stay within 'the bounds' as defined by the police?
The culture which has the time to chase young couples out of parks on Valentine's Day but not to chase after and book sexual molestors who are openly harassing women in public?
The culture which spends its time whining about how women wearing jeans are against our national culture, but does not protest that scores of Dalit women are raped in a caste war?
The culture which enables the Police commissioner in Kolkata to tell Priyanka Todi to break her marriage and go back to her parents whom she is 'shaming' by marrying out of her own choice?
The culture which empowers the police chief in Bombay to not register a complaint against the hooligans who molested the girls yesterday, but merely chase them away and then waste a whole day in bellyaching about jurisdiction?
The culture which always, but always, holds women responsible for whatever ills befall them, be it rape or molestation, being beaten by their husbands or parents and brothers, sexually harassed at work, being called 'baanjh' for not bearing children...
The culture which holds women accountable for ensuring their own safety while not lifting a finger to either help them or pursue the attackers?
The culture which simultaneously enables the victimising of women and holds women to be the wrong-doer for being a victim?
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