An Inference is an educated guess and
I am going to indulge in that. Approximately, 54% of the population in India are
farmers, close to 50% are women, and approx. 15% would constitute people employed
in the Indian Railways, Air India, cab/ auto drivers, bus drivers, and government
owned transport services. Now include the unemployed (by choice or not) and home
makers and the aggregate would be close to 70% (give or take). We are denoting a
mass that believes the nation and its country to be its ‘place of work’ and expects
its leaders to deliver a safe, secure and hostile free working environment.... Fair?!
I
guess, yet again, that this is an unfair expectation. Given that we are unable to deal with terrorist attacks and belligerent neighbors, to resolve
issues around murder, theft and scams and to keep our head afloat in a sinking
economy; the assurance, to a farmer who tills the land to feed its people, of making
available a workplace that is free of any banter is downright bizarre and
far-fetched. All of the above-mentioned, like me, made the choice of living in a
country that we refer to as our karma-bhoomi and day on day, in
broad daylight are subjected to behavior that is unacceptable, inappropriate
and unequivocally qualifies for harassment and sexual banter. In trying times,
sacrifices need to be made and thus we will expense harassment at the altar of
bigger evils.
April 2013 was the day when The Sexual
Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) ACT
was passed. It was not a joyous moment for anyone; rather of relief. Every
woman in India, can now dauntlessly voice her protest and it is a legal
obligation for her employer to address it, either through the Internal or the Local
Complaints Committee. The law protects me from any inappropriate comment and /
or behavior from a colleague, a co-worker, a friend… and dare I say a stranger
too. When someone known makes a comment that causes distress, it’s a breach of
trust. When a stranger makes such a comment, he / she is making a private
assessment of me, or for that matter of anyone, in public, it’s a breach of
security. It makes me feel unguarded and unprotected – a sentiment that
is perhaps experienced by the majority – the 70% who look at India as their
work-place, their Karma Bhoomi! One wonders if there is any fundamental (mis)understanding
of the issue at hand. Did we, as a nation, indulge in an ACT as a ‘means’ to turnaround
the ‘polls at hand’? One wonders!!
The election campaign supported by a
very active and raucous media has relegated decency to absurdity qualifying for
a ‘mere discussion’! It’s perfectly ok
to refer to the President of a political party as an ‘alien’, it is presumably entertaining
when a senior politician ponders on the marital status of his female colleague,
and yet again a ‘point to ponder’ on why ‘the’ lady should don a sari specifically
for election campaigning! The nation has been shredded by a ‘mother-son’ duo, a
state is governed by an ‘arrogant butcher’, a ‘Patiala peg’ will decide how ‘Punjabi’
a person is, and certain people can very well be asked to relocate to Pakistan!
Comments on individuals’ personal lives, their marital status, and their personal
relationships are prerequisite fillers; make for interesting coffee
conversations, and indispensable prime time debates. Observations come in
plenty and are made with caustic verbiage. I guess, it shouldn't really matter,
considering all and sundry are at it. Seemingly, that makes it right…. or maybe
just OK! Guess, it’s all part of the grand ACT!
Today, the substantial 70% is casting
its vote to elect a party, check that, an individual. This individual has blatantly
and successfully played his / her part in creating a hostile work environment
for the very same group that is going to elect him / her to the highest office
in the world’s biggest democracy. There
is very little one can do about this because work places are boxed out images, are
territorial spaces. They do not take into account geographies! The look of this
70% is mapped with bewildered unhappiness over a system that brazenly swamps
its political arrogance over the presumed ignorant.
I moan my
past: If I had just known as a child that no human being deserves to
be belittled, perhaps, I would have fought back and reported harassment to my
school principal, my basketball coach, or my parents too. It’s possible that I
would have gathered courage to push back the bully on my own. But at that time,
all I knew was that if I avoided eye-contact, ignored the behavior and
displayed self-restraint; it would be a lot easier to get through the day.
I critique
my present: Very little has changed as of date. I am equipped with the understanding
that my intellect is not just a form of damage control and that ignoring harassment
is not seeking acceptance. I know that the law is allegedly on my side. Even so,
I avoid eye-contact, ignore the banter, change the channel, turn to page 3, and
thereby display the vanquished power of self-restraint.
I
condition my future: I am the ‘presumed ignorant’ casting my vote
with averted eyes…. My body, soul and intellect reflecting my situation. I have
abandoned the most fundamental of my rights - Right to Dignity - for a life of hypocritical
forbearance.
All this for the reason that I am
protected, at home, at work, in a building (hospital, school, college etc)…..and
on the street! By Inference, I am protected as long as the area is well defined in and
confined to the ACT!
My nation, my country, my karma
bhoomi is out of bounds…. !!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment