Dr Ahmed Mohiuddin Siddiqui for BeyondHeadlines
The Narendra Modi government 2.0 is going to extreme lows against women with each passing day. Right under Modi’s nose, the Delhi police allegedly hit the anti-CAA protesting girl students not just below the belt but hit in the girls’ private parts last week. The girls were admitted to the Jamia Millia Health Centre and later shifted to Al Shifa Hospital where the doctors confirmed severe injuries to the girls’ private parts.
Later, some injured girls spoke to the media about how the police hit them on their breasts and private parts after standing on their thighs. It seems the brutal cops are being allowed to get away with the active connivance of the authorities. The ‘brave policemen’ may be awarded ‘Shaurya’ medals on independence day. Nothing much can be expected from the ‘Nero’ who presided over the burning of Gujarat and the stripping, rape and murder massacre on the streets of Ahmedabad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat seems to be competing with Delhi as far as violence against women is concerned. The Sahajanand Girls’ College in Bhuj shook the nation’s senses after 68 girls were reportedly asked to remove their underpants to prove that they were not menstruating. This dishonour and violence was done in the name of religion. Which religion asks to dishonour women? The National Commission for Women (NCW) member Rajulben Desai, who led a 7-member team to the disgraced hostel was shocked to learn that the girls consented to the rules of eating and sleeping during menstruation. The girls were allegedly made to sleep in the basement. Hostel authorities maintain a register on menstruating girls!
Instead of taking corrective measures and apologizing to the aggrieved girls and their parents, the Sahajanand College has brazened it out by allegedly blaming the parents. According to a parent, “the college authorities keep telling us that they are doing charity by educating our girls and by filing a case, we are doing ‘adharma’ (going against the religion) and will incur ‘Bhagwan’s’ (god) wrath”
Dushyasan’s evil deed is not worth-emulating. It means that the women of Gujarat must not be disrobed even in the 21st century. The ‘Vastrharan’ (disrobing) must stop by all means. The Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani cannot wash off his hands by just ordering an inquiry. Why is the inquiry not headed by a woman? The least he can do is to ask the education department to cancel the recognition of the Sahajanand College and transfer the students to another college.
The trust which runs the college must be disbanded and not allowed to run any schools or colleges for the girls. The 68 ‘Draupadis’ must stand up for their honour. The ‘anti-menses mindset’ must be dealt with sternly by enacting new laws to protect the honour and dignity of women. To start with, let the ‘menstruating women’ cook food for wedding parties and government functions where food is distributed in Gujarat. The menstruating women should not only go into the kitchens but also come on to the streets with their blood-soaked menses pads to mock at the misogynist society.
From hitting in girls’ private parts and on breasts to stripping girls for menstrual check – is India hurtling back to the savage times?
