Hypocrisy

We're all so proud of this country we belong to; the diversity it represents and the culture that binds us all together. A life of isolation is impossible in a close knit country like India and like any other Indian I'm both used to, and indifferent to it now.

No. Scratch that. I'm not indifferent. In fact, I'm enraged by our society's double standards; a thing I have neither the acceptance nor the patience for. In a way, it's what inspired me to become a student of sociology; to understand how and why human behaviour is so inexplicably linked to one another; how a community that is so inter-dependent is also one that chooses to shun its own people. It baffles me that a society that puts such an incredible amount of pressure on its members to do what is (considered) acceptable and to avoid deviating from what is "right", is also one that continues to disappoint its members regularly by failing to uphold their dignity.

We live in a country where respect and tradition are held very highly by elders and decision makers. How then do they fail to bring justice to victims of the most basic human rights violations? Is our 'tradition' that fundamentally flawed? Isn't it about time we evolved as a society?

Enough has been written and said about the Guwahati gang molestation that was caught on tape and went viral. Honestly, I had nothing to say. In a way, what happened was both fortunate and unfortunate. Fortunate because it spiked consciousness and forced authorities to take quick action, but highly unfortunate because it took a scandalous visual of a too-common crime to ignite a thunderous response. What about the innumerable girls and women who continue to face brutalities every single day in the absence of a video camera? Why isn't the knowledge of the crime, its embarrassing regularity and its irreversible consequences enough for there to be strict action?

How is it that we take it upon ourselves to enter an individual's bedroom and dictate what course his/her life will take, but matters of safety and respect at large are conveniently ignored? The news of the recent UP Panchayat diktat has left me dumbfounded. Women in that village have been barred from using mobile phones, love marriages have been banned and women below 40 have been forbidden from going to the marketplace. Why? "Because this gives rise to crimes. They must also cover their heads FOR THEIR SAFETY". Why thank you, asshole. How about doing something that addresses the criminal instead of the victim for a change? How about shut-the-f**k up about my safety when it’s just an excuse for you to cover up the manifestations of your own flawed patriarchal beliefs and stereotypes?

Read about both these incidences in the same week and you know that India's development is in fact a much bigger issue than people make it out to be. How we wish it were just about economic development!

I know I sound harsh, but it is because I am tired of being angry. And trust me, it has been a while. I am a very proud Indian and I respect and love my culture. It bothers me no end to see my country's progress being stifled by its own societal norms and traditions. It bothers me no end that today, freedom and dignity are a far-away dream in this hypocritical society.