{"id":310575,"date":"2019-03-16T18:00:51","date_gmt":"2019-03-16T18:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tehelka.com\/?p=310575"},"modified":"2019-03-16T18:00:51","modified_gmt":"2019-03-16T18:00:51","slug":"sheer-hypocrisy-revolves-around-womens-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/sheer-hypocrisy-revolves-around-womens-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheer hypocrisy revolves around Women\u2019s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I am writing this column on the eve of the much-hyped International Women\u2019s Day. I do realise I could have written this either a couple of days before or even after 8 March, as the deadline isn\u2019t staring in the face. Why then I\u2019m sitting unleashing all my thoughts and emotions right now? This is simply because I can no longer stand the sheer hypocrisy that revolves around this day. To be nearer precision, there\u2019s immense fa\u00e7ade around all the so called \u2018days\u2019, marked for a this or for a that! The sole purpose to these special days seems hijacked not just by the political mafia but also by the opportunists hovering around.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting back to the International Women\u2019s Day, the entire fa\u00e7ade to the \u2018celebrations\u2019 couldn\u2019t get worse. What, with political speeches and frilly receptions and high teas! Nah, nothing concrete comes up for the women who are sitting deprived and at the mercy of the very system and the entire social structuring. Tell me, will the political speeches and hollow assurances save them from the rounds of uncertainty and violence and insecurity they face in everyday life. They could be from any possible region or religion but the social taboos and injustices and the growing political rot stand out to this day and age. Hollow development cries or claims of the political rulers have not made apparent changes to the existing ground realities. Visit any basti or mohalla or qasba or even an urban slum and there sit the disadvantaged women, battling it out on all possible fronts.<\/span><\/p>\n

And though we aren\u2019t permitted to enter jails and prisons to see for ourselves those behind- the \u2013high walls happenings, but the reports on the jailed women prisoners do not carry any of the positives. In fact, it could be double whammy for them, as their minor children also sit affected. Needless to add, none of the planners seem to give a damn to open jails where these hapless women and their children could get to breathe somewhat freely!<\/span><\/p>\n

Even the not- so \u2013jailed amongst us are finding the going tough\u2026tougher it gets with levels of hypocrisy and double- speak peaking by the day! Anyway, I have declined all possible invites to all those Women\u2019s Day celebration events. Don\u2019t know what\u2019s there to celebrate\u2026or what could be there to celebrate in the upcoming years! What\u2019s the point hosting or attending gaudy receptions when murky lies the scenario.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another worrying factor stands out: There\u2019s this massive anti-men propaganda which has been on in the country. As though all men or boys are devils or demons or rapists. This notion or perception, is not just far away from the truth but very damaging to the very co – existence. Mind you, men and boys also get raped and molested and used and abused. They too are human beings and go through mental and physical tortures of the worst sorts. Nah, they aren\u2019t even supposed to cry out or unleash their fears and apprehensions, nor name their women-molesters and tormentors!<\/span><\/p>\n

To be blamed is the political rot and the very system it controls to further its intrusions. Even a serious crime such as rape is just about discussed in the television studios where the so-called experts come up with those horrifying \u2018off-with-head\u2019 sentences. Mind you, without even bothering to go to the backgrounders to the rising numbers to crime and criminals. Without even bothering to expose the sheer vulgarity that is shown on the big and small screens in the name of entertainment. Without even bothering to catch hold of the rulers of the day who manage to get away with heinous crimes, such as murders, extortions, kidnapping and much more.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s about time we educate ourselves. Yes, distinguish between the good and the bad. Between safe and the not \u2013so \u2013 safe. Between the well -meaning and the perverse. Between the opportunists and the genuine. Between the fake and the real. Between the violent and the not-so-violent!<\/span><\/p>\n

Nah, it\u2019s not a question of men and women\u2026Here it is essential to say that there are hundreds and thousands of gentlemen. The real men! This brings me to write that men can make great platonic friends. In fact, they can be better friends than women friends. They are loyal and broadminded and well meaning, without getting into petty little mundane things. Not to overlook the fact that romantic poets from those good old yester years wrote verse after verse in praise of women and womanhood and that too without going overboard. Their romantic verse and gentle subtle relays flattering and so very touching!<\/span><\/p>\n

And I cannot end this column without drawing your attention to some very unsettling news \u2013 more and more women are getting fitted in the various Hindutva brigades; getting extensive training to kill the other! Why don\u2019t we talk of this grim reality: women taking up arms to indulge in sheer anarchy and horrifying rounds of communal violence. Yes, it\u2019s one of the dark realities of these dark times we are destined to live in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0letters@tehelka.com<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I am writing this column on the eve of the much-hyped International Women\u2019s Day. I do realise I could have written this either a couple of days before or even after 8 March, as the deadline isn\u2019t staring in the face. Why then I\u2019m sitting unleashing all my thoughts and emotions right now? This is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":310495,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[23,2205],"tags":[11139],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310575"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=310575"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":310587,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310575\/revisions\/310587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/310495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=310575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=310575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tehelka.com\/rest-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=310575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}