Women Empowerment has become a mockery!!!

“Women Empowerment” and “Beti padhao Beti Bachao” phrases has become shallow and hollow just like the people who advocate it. Each rape incident is a tight slap on every Indian women’s face.

Almost 5 and a half years ago, when I was expecting my son, one fine morning the heartbreaking news of Nirbhaya case (December 16, 2012) shook me alongwith the entire India. People were on roads marching for justice. I was so scared with the brutality of the rapists, and then deep within me I promised myself, that i will ensure to raise my son with high moral values and he must learn to RESPECT WOMEN at all cost. Now again, after so many years passed by, and yet another news shook me from within. My heart is profoundly aching, giving me sleepless nights after reading the news. What an irony, now, I am a mother of a daughter too. The resolution within me has become more intense but the fear within me has also spawned at great lengths with time.

After so much of achievements in Science and Technology, where is India finally leading to? My question is, what the judicial system has been doing while these years? From 2012,till date I have not seen any decline in such cases, rather atrocities against women has been mercurial. Why always, WOMEN of all ages are being used as a tool to teach lesson to each other in the name of community, tribe, religion, clan etc etc? And what is the judiciary system doing to teach lesson to such criminals? Why the crimes are continuously being repeated in name of religion, caste, tribe and especially, they get away in the name of “Juvenile”? But what about the “juveniles” who are brutally being raped and killed? People come on roads, and do candle marches for justice and then few people from this crowd commits such heinous crimes and people from the same crowd choose to stay mum the very next moment. What is the point of such marches and protests unless we bring a revolutionary change to the psyche of the people and the judiciary system?

Everyday we keep hearing about “Women Empowerment”. Entire world is working for women empowerment. Various firms are coming up with initiative to promote women leadership and welcoming women employees. But seriously, these drastic measures has the potential to make women really feel empowered? What will that empowered woman do when she steps out of her multi million jazzy office and when she walks out of her fortified dwellings? What should such empowered women do when something goes wrong with her daughter at an International school? What that empowered woman is supposed to do, when her domestic helper and driver cry foul about the injustice done with their daughters? Hence, the pressing question, I want to ask everyone is, how can this empowered woman survive without other pillars of society? Doesn’t this raise a question, that the women empowerment will take its shape in real sense, only when men will be imparted with elevated morale and values. And when each and every parent start taking responsibility of raising non-animals.

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानी गृह्णाति नरो पराणी

तथाः शरीराणि विहाय जिर्नान्य नियानी संयति नवानी देहि !!!

MEANING : Just like we give up the old clothes and wear the new ones. Similarity, our soul changes the old body and accepts the new one. The spirit of soul is eternal.

The meaning has changed with time. I am very sorry to say that along with soul now, rape also has become eternal. Just the age, name, and religion of women keeps changing from Nirbhaya to Asifa. While going through social media, I came across various posts and arguments going on giving count of their respective religion women being raped. Amidst this religious argument, everyone is forgetting the main point that “Women are constantly being raped and killed ruthlessly”. And, second point, “None of the government has brought any change in the judiciary system against rape”. This is not about the religion of women getting injustice or about the ruling government. It is about THE WOMEN.

Is this the same India we are talking about, whose ancient scriptures and wisdom have always emphasized on giving immense freedom to women, ranging from political science education to learning warfare techniques to freedom to choose their grooms? Are we talking about the same India, where women leaders like Rani Rudramma, Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, Chand Bibi, Rani Durgawati, Jhansi ki Rani existed? Weren’t these leaders equally supported by men with high moral values.

When we read about India’s achievements, our heart swells with pride and honor. But, this is also true that when we read such heinous crimes against women within our country, our heart aches and blood seethes in pain and shame.

There is a famous saying, “Yatra naaryasto poojyantay, ramantay tatra devata. (Where women are honoured, there the gods are pleased)”. This is the quotation, from Hindu mythology and born from the land whose people, have forgotten the very essence of this shloka. Irrespective of the religion and political ideology one follows, there is no denying the fact that we all are equally responsible for bringing disgrace to our motherland.

United we stand with uncompromising fervor against murderers of humanity and womanhood!!!