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Abhaya

Shakti Rupena Sansthita: The One Who Resides in All Beings as Shakti

by Guest Author 14/12/2024

written by Guest Author

By Aritri Roy Chowdhury

Ask any Bengali, she will tell you that the advent of autumn (sarat) is marked by the fragrance of Pujo in the air or as we say in Bangla “Pujo pujo gondho hawaye”.

Pujo, Durga Pujo, is Bengal’s biggest cultural and religious celebration. Panchami to Dashami is 5 days filled with festivities eagerly awaited by all Bengalis across the globe. Being born and raised in a typical Bengali household and having grown up in Kolkata, Pujo marks a week of celebrations and good food for me. As children, we used to wait all year long for these five days. Pujo meant new clothes, good food, unlimited playtime, and “thakur dekha” (going around different pandals to see the Maa Durga’s idol). During Puja, we would gather at my grandparents’ house where our otherwise nuclear families would seamlessly integrate into a giant joint family. My father and uncles would take over the kitchen and household chores so that the women could take part in the festivities and enjoy. In fact, whenever there were any celebrations in the house or during weekends, the men took over the kitchen and my father’s eldest brother, my Jeu, was assigned the job of looking after all the children in the house. Jeu would feed us, bathe us, tell us stories, and take us out to nearby pandals. We never felt anything lacking in the caregiving process. Men and women equally participated in all household assignments.

As a child, I did not realize the immense significance of this seemingly tiny system in my house, but as an adult, I did. Law school was the first time I came across men who couldn’t cook or do any of the basic household chores and looked upon these tasks as only meant for ‘women’. I was taken aback. For me, the distinction between men and women never existed. I had grown up with three cousins, all boys, and never felt, or was made to feel, that I was any less than them. I was never asked to do anything at home because I was the ‘sister’ or the ‘girl’. Women in my family did not ‘serve’ men. They worked as a team. I understood much later that most Bengali households function similarly. Being in a girls’ school, I was surrounded by women all my life. Strong, independent women raised by parents who saw the child as a child and attached no merit to the child’s gender.

Durga Pujo to me is much like the normal Bengali household; it celebrates women and the entire city comes together to bask in the glory of the divine power that symbolizes victory of good over evil.

We were told the story of Durga Maa by my grandmother. Maa Durga, also called ‘Mahishasurmardini’ killed the deceitful, shape-shifting demon- Mahisasur. Legend goes that Mahisasur was granted a boon that he could not be killed by a ‘man or animal’. Thus, he assumed he was immortal and invincible because, for him, a woman was the weaker sex, who did not have the strength to defeat him. It was this arrogance that led to his downfall. Maa Durga, the Shakti that runs the Universe, not only killed Mahisasur but also vanquished his pride of being a ‘man’, of being more ‘powerful’ than a woman.

This year’s Pujo somehow has brought the legend back to life. It is different from the Pujos I have spent all my life, yet the essence of it remains the same. My entire city has come together to stand up for its daughter, Abhaya, and remind all that no one is ‘all-powerful’. Women, from all walks of life, joined by men have decided to stand up against the horrific rape and murder of Abhaya. The past few months, leading up to Pujo have seen women “claim the night” to fight for equality and safety at the workplace and the city has witnessed historic protests led and sustained by commoners. Durga Puja which is essentially the period that reminds us good has to triumph over evil started a little early this year. On 9 August 2024, the brutal rape and murder of Abhaya shook the core of every Bengali’s conscience. It made every Bengali pledge they would stand up for their daughter. People across the State have united, come forward, walked across the city protesting and lamenting the death of their daughter, and demanded safer spaces for women with a clarion call for ‘justice’.

The divine ‘Shakti’ has taken her form in the minds of thousands who have defied the ‘Asuric’ forces to unveil their collective strength and have embarked on the journey to ensure that every Durga is safe in this city which celebrates her every year. This year Pujo is symbolic of the culture that nurtures, hones, and empowers women, which sees women as equals in the societal structure and is determined to take over any forces that try to do otherwise. This time Maa Durga has not come in the form of idols. This time she has come in the form of ‘shakti’ which is keeping people on the roads protesting against injustices met out to the daughter of the city. This year Maa has come in the form of the collective consciousness which is running through the length and breadth of the city. The one that unites, the one that makes you believe in the spirit of the human race that has awakened to avenge every injustice and set things right.

Maa did not wait for Sarat to set in to come home. She came much before that and since her advent, the city has been engaged in a tumultuous fight with the ‘demonic forces’. The little Bengali girl in me who has grown up to the stories of her ‘Shakti’ is finally seeing it unfold before her eyes and I am more than certain, even this time, Maa will prevail. Justice shall prevail. This time the air does not only bear the fragrance of Pujo, it also carries with it the stories of gut, grit and courage. It carries Maa’s energy all over the city. It ushers in the new story of equality where men and women have again stepped in to ensure justice is met out to all.

On that note, Dugga Dugga to you all. I hope you all stand with her to join the right forces.

14/12/2024 0 comments 38 views

Charity Begins at Home: Political Parties Must Lead the Way to Make Working Spaces Safe for Women

by Editor 08/12/2024

written by Editor

By Kanksshi Agarwal & Avani Bansal

(First published by The Wire: https://thewire.in/politics/charity-begins-at-home-political-parties-must-lead-the-way-to-make-working-spaces-safe-for-women)

The mind-numbing story of the brutal rape and murder of a young doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata has left us all aghast! Colloquially being called Nirbhaya 2.0, people, especially women, hitting the streets at midnight under ‘Reclaim the Night’, is all but a sombre reminder of history repeating itself.

While the leader of every political party has expressed disgust and condemned the incident, the question is – will anything change for women’s safety or just a couple of protests before everything returns to business as usual?

It was heartening to see that across party lines, political leaders expressed the need to see the guilty punished but we also saw calls for not ‘politicising’ the issue.

Mamata Banerjee is reported to have said: “I want to tell these political parties – don’t try to politicise the incident just for a few likes on social media and media footage.”

Sagarika Ghose said, “As the mother of a doctor I am appalled and shocked at the heinous ghastly crime at RG Kar hospital over which there should be NO politics…”

“I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening – there is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage. The country, society, and state governments will have to take this seriously,” Prime Minister Narendra Mod said from the Red Fort on Independence Day.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, also took to X (formerly, Twitter) to express his deep shock at the Kolkata incident and expressed that women and the doctor community are feeling unsafe. He also suggested that from Hathras to Unnao, and from Kathua to Kolkata, there is a rising number of incidents of violence against women and every sector of the society needs to discuss and take concrete steps towards addressing this.

So if all top political leaders are aligned on the need to address women’s safety – will they take the necessary steps, voluntarily, to address women’s safety in political parties?

In the wake of the Kolkata ghastly rape, the real question is – will the political parties in India take it upon themselves to implement PoSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace, 2013) within political parties? After all, no one would argue that the safety of women is also much needed in political spaces, as well as in informal sectors.

A 2014 United Nations study, Violence Against Women In Politics highlighted the violent nature of politics in the subcontinent, during and after elections. Such violence, combined with a lack of implementation of protective laws dissuades women from joining the political arena.

As per a study published in Livemint (30/04/2014): Physical abuse suffered by women politicians in India is 45% as against 30% in Pakistan and 21% in Nepal. Verbal abuse suffered by women politicians in India is 49% as against 23% in Pakistan and 31% in Nepal.

The Centre for Social Research with the UN published a report on violence against women in politics in 2014: “Nearly 50% respondents said they faced verbal abuse and 45% said physical violence and threats were common, particularly true during election campaigns. 67% of women politicians said perpetrators were male contestants and 58% party colleagues. Violence and harassment at the hands of colleagues is a reason why we see only women from political families in politics.”

The UN General Assembly resolution 2018 (73/148): “Encourages national legislative authorities and political parties, as appropriate, to adopt codes of conduct and reporting mechanisms, or revise existing ones, stating zero tolerance by these legislative authorities and political parties for sexual harassment, intimidation and any other form of violence against women in politics.”

It is in accordance with this that the European Union passed Resolution No. 459, 2020 against violence against women in politics at the local and regional levels. Bolivia became the first Latin American country to criminalise violence against women in politics through Law No. 243 in 2012. Kenya, which has the highest representation of women in their parliament, thanks to reservation, has gone a step further and set up a Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, under the Political Parties Act 201. The UK Equality Act 2010 includes political parties. Peru, Mexico, and Costa Rica have bills pending in their parliaments to deal with violence against women in politics.

So why are the Indian political parties resting at “expressing deep concern and dismay” without actually taking steps to demonstrate their intention in real action? After all, no political party can be singled out, where the women haven’t raised serious questions regarding their male colleagues.

In the Kerala high court in Women in Cinema Collective v. State of Kerala (2018), the issue of bringing political parties within the ambit of the 2013 Act was raised but the high court did not deal with the matter at any length and did not consider whether members of a political party can be said to be in an employer-employee relationship, especially for members who may be employed by the party or even for those who work with a party on a voluntary basis.

But if all political parties are seriously enraged at the Kolkata incident, why not take voluntary steps to redress the situation, at least that which squarely falls within their own power by setting up voluntary mechanisms to address sexual harassment complaints?

After the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court in Vishaka, the Government of India enacted the PoSH law (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace, 2013), but with its implementation left entirely to district magistrates with no accountability measures in place, implies that it remains largely on paper.

For instance, under PoSH any workplace, private or public, which employs more than ten people is required to set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for addressing complaints pertaining to sexual harassment by the employees. Even if the employees are working on a voluntary basis, or if the work-related meeting takes place at someone’s home, any incident of sexual harassment is covered within the ambit of the Act. All employers are also required to conduct mandatory training under the PoSH Act to sensitise all its workers towards the norms and the law under PoSH.

But why do politicians get away with making rules for others, while conveniently avoiding implementing them on themselves? Charity, as they say, begins at home!

This incident requires true inner reflection beyond everyday politics. It’s a call to all the conscious keepers in India, and all politicians who do truly espouse women’s cause in politics beyond lip service, to do more than ‘everyday politics’ in an ‘everyday way’. They need to do ‘visionary, nay revolutionary politics in revolutionary way’. It begins with voluntary steps, of doing what they very well can within their own control, of ensuring equal women representation at all levels, of giving women more than just symbolic space in politics, of making political spaces safe for women.

It can begin with all political parties voluntarily setting up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). If the argument is that it can be potentially abused, we have to be mindful that the law that applies to all corporates in the country, to all other workplaces, can also be resisted on the same logic. In fact, allowing for ICC means that women raising complaints will be subject to scrutiny by senior women leaders in the party and will be acted upon if found right. But establishing no mechanism for women to address it is akin to turning a blind eye or pushing women’s safety under the carpet.

True homage and justice to the young doctor will be coming forward from some politicians and setting up ICC within their own political parties, and then also setting up committees to explore systemic efforts needed across sectors to ensure the safety of women in India. Any visionary takers?

08/12/2024 0 comments 25 views

The Shrinking Public Spaces For Children: The Fear After The Kolkata Rape Case And The Potential Over-Reliance On Screens

by Editor 08/12/2024

written by Editor

By Bhoomika Choudhury

The recent Kolkata rape case has reignited discussions around the safety of public spaces, particularly for women and girls, in India. The brutal nature of the crime has left the nation grappling with the pervasive fear that drives families to confine their children indoors in the name of protection. But this confinement, while intended to keep them safe, may expose them to another set of dangers in the digital realm. I wonder what kind of future we are crafting for the next generation—a future where their access to physical spaces is restricted due to safety fears, and where their increasing reliance on digital spaces exposes them to the predatory practices of big tech?

In a country that is producing some of the world’s leading tech professionals, there is a deep irony in the fact that our inability to ensure the safety of children in both physical and digital environments might lead to a generation trapped by the very technologies we celebrate. The challenges are immense—how do we ensure the safety of our children when both public and digital spaces are fraught with risks? As The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt argues, the intersection of fear, technology, and safety concerns creates a complex dilemma for parents and society alike, one that demands urgent attention and action.

The Shrinking of Public Spaces

The fear following the Kolkata rape case, much like previous such incidents, may lead to a further shrinking of public spaces for children, especially girls. This phenomenon isn’t new. The book Why Loiter? by Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan, and Shilpa Ranade, explores how public spaces in Indian cities are becoming increasingly inaccessible to women due to the pervasive fear of sexual violence. The authors argue that this fear is not just about the potential for violence but also about the societal expectations that women should not “loiter” in public spaces without a purpose. This is particularly true for young girls, who are often kept away from public spaces under the guise of protection.

However, this so-called protection comes at a significant cost. As public spaces become increasingly off-limits, children are pushed indoors, where screens and digital devices become their primary source of interaction with the world. While this may seem like a safer alternative, it raises critical questions about the kind of environment we’re creating for our children. Are they truly safer indoors, or are we merely swapping one set of dangers for another?

The Digital Danger

The over-reliance on screens and digital platforms is not without its perils. As The Anxious Generation highlights, the constant use of social media and digital devices can lead to heightened levels of anxiety, depression, and social isolation among teenagers. Moreover, the digital world is not immune to the dangers of exploitation and abuse. Big tech companies are increasingly finding ways to manipulate and take advantage of young users, capitalizing on their vulnerabilities for profit.

In this context, the confinement of children to their homes and the subsequent over-reliance on digital devices can be seen as a double-edged sword. While it may protect them from the immediate dangers of the outside world, it also exposes them to the insidious dangers of the digital world, where they are vulnerable to online predators, cyberbullying, and the negative mental health impacts of excessive screen time.

The Inadequacy of Legal and Policy Frameworks

The legal and policy frameworks in India have often been found wanting when it comes to addressing these complex issues. While there are laws in place to deal with sexual crimes and cybercrimes, their enforcement is often inconsistent and inadequate. Moreover, there is a lack of comprehensive policies that address the intersection of physical and digital safety for children. The current legal framework tends to focus on reactive measures—punishing perpetrators after the fact—rather than proactive measures that could prevent these crimes from occurring in the first place.

The Need for Policy and Societal Change

There is an urgent need for policies that address the dual threats of unsafe public spaces and the dangers of digital environments. On one hand, urban planning and law enforcement must work towards making public spaces safer for women and children. On the other, there needs to be stricter regulation of big tech companies to protect young users from exploitation.

Beyond policy, societal change is crucial. Parents, educators, and communities must work together to reclaim public spaces for children and ensure that digital spaces are used responsibly. It is not just about keeping children safe; it is about ensuring that they have the freedom to explore, learn, and grow in environments that do not pose a constant threat.

Conclusion

The Kolkata rape case has brought to the forefront the challenges of ensuring safety in both public and digital spaces. This is not just a societal issue; it’s a national crisis that threatens the very fabric of our future. The complexities involved in ensuring the safety of our children in both public and digital spaces are vast, and the solutions are far from simple. I don’t have a clear-cut solution to propose, but what I do know is that we need to urgently foster a national debate around this issue. The future of our children is at stake, and it is imperative that we address these concerns with the seriousness they deserve. We need to confront the harsh realities of our societal structures, legal frameworks, and technological advancements to ensure that our children can grow up in a world that is safe, just, and equitable. This crisis demands collective introspection and decisive action because the safety and well-being of our kids—and their future—depend on it.

08/12/2024 0 comments 25 views

Kolkata Rape And Murder Suo Moto Proceedings: A Call For Enhanced Safety Standards!

by Guest Author 08/12/2024

written by Guest Author

“The nation cannot await a rape or murder for real changes on the ground.” – Supreme Court

By Lauren Prem

Talks on safety standards are always at its peak whenever the nation is shaken with a horrendous rape case. Gradually, the talk dies down until another brutal incident goes viral. This repetitive cycle needs to be put to an end and safety standards need to be practically enforced.

The Supreme Court bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud and Justices Manoj Mishra and JB Pardiwala, on 20^th August 2024, shed light on the recurrent safety issues faced by women in our country, during the Suo moto proceedings on the Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder case. The crime took place on 9^th August 2024 and the talk on safety has spurred since then. However, Justice DY Chandrachud emphasizes on ensuring safety in actuality through national protocols.

The Supreme Court, via its order, sets up a National Task Force (NTF) in order to address the pressing need of safety at this juncture. The NTF consists of ten members possessing expertise in the medical field – Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General, Medical Services (Navy), Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, Dr M Srinivas, Director of Delhi-AIIMS, Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri, Executive Director, AIIMS Jodhpur, Dr Saumitra Rawat, Chairperson, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI and HPB Onco-Surgery and Liver Transplantation and Member, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, Professor Anita Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit B D Sharma Medical University, Rohtak, former Dean of Academics, Chief Cardio thoracic Centre and Head Cardiology Department AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean, Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, and Dr Padma Srivastava, formerly Professor at the Department of Neurology, AIIMS Delhi.

Justice DY Chandrachud states that the NTF, in formulating an action plan must pay regard to two primary aspects – preventing gender-based violence against medical professionals and providing a national protocol to ensure safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, doctors, nurses and all medical professionals.

A crucial measure put forth by the court is ‘triaging medical departments and places within the hospital’ based on the possibility of violence. It further states “Areas such as emergency rooms and intensive care units are prone to a greater degree of violence and may possibly need additional security in place to deal with any untoward incident.” This step ensures that safety measures are well-planned and implemented on a need basis, rather than adopting a generalised approach of safety that may not adequately address the issue at hand.

The court also presses the need for infrastructural development within the hospital premises that align with the goals of safety that this protocol aims to achieve. The court suggested separate resting rooms and duty rooms for male doctors, female doctors, male nurses and female nurses, installation of CCTV cameras at all entrance and exit points of the hospital and corridors leading up to the patient rooms.

The medical professionals for whom protection is given under this judgement encompasses “every medical professional” including doctors, other medical students undergoing compulsory rotating medical internships as a part of their MMBS course, resident doctors, senior resident doctors and nurses including those who are nursing interns. A broader interpretation is purposefully given to extend protection to all stakeholders.

The court rightly recognises the fact that laws and increased punishments are not sufficient to tackle the safety issues faced by female professionals. Rather, there must be execution of the ideals that are often merely laid down on paper.

Beyond providing guidelines for safety, the judgement touches upon important rights that form the bedrock of a democracy, although these rights are not explicitly provided under the Constitution. The court observes that the equality code enshrined in our constitution cannot be met if the safety of women is at stake.

With regard to the Kolkata rape and murder incident in particular, the court states “West Bengal should ensure that the power of the state is not unleashed on peaceful protestors.” Protests, when peaceful, uphold the right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under article 19(1)(a) of our Constitution. Protests reflect an unmet need or an unfulfilled promise. If allowed, protests can do no harm than nudge the concerned authorities to improve the status quo.

Apart from implementation of safety measures in the workplace, it must be ensured that peaceful protestors do not feel unsafe. The nature of a true democracy is often unveiled in the kind of rights it protects. A death of the most basic rights marks the death of a democracy!

08/12/2024 0 comments 55 views

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Abhaya

Shakti Rupena Sansthita: The One Who Resides in All Beings as Shakti

Charity Begins at Home: Political Parties Must Lead the Way to Make Working Spaces Safe for Women

The Shrinking Public Spaces For Children: The Fear After The Kolkata Rape Case And The Potential Over-Reliance On Screens

Kolkata Rape And Murder Suo Moto Proceedings: A Call For Enhanced Safety Standards!

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