People say, “Main Anna hun” – Kanoon says, “Main andha hun.”

     Photograph by: Manish Swaroop

Let’s please not pull a Ghajni this time!

Our ride from Cwg to 2G via Adarsh society (that recently crossed the Coalgate) has been a super bumpy one and now we are at our next station of shame – the Rape station!

But I am sure let another week pass (or let another incident happen which will stoop us a lot lower than we already are on the moral-o-meter) and we will forget all about Nirbhaya/ Damini/ or that brave girl who fought till the end for survival.

Our memory is so short-lived that it won’t take us more than a shower to hop on to something new – anything from a political blunder – to a natural calamity – to even an Indo-Pak cricket match is enough to divert India’s attention.  (And I bet the Government is praying on it already!)

Gone will be Nirbhaya – who made us all unite, stand and fight  - and  she will join the other ghosts from our past.

Please-please-please-please do not let this emotion fade away. 

And while the government says it’s doing the best it can – or, maybe it’s not– I don’t know and quite frankly I have reached the point where I don’t even care for its shallow make belief reforms and steps. The point is that we really cannot sit with one hand on top of the other.

 I am not asking for a revolution here but just go with me.

On the 29^th day of December, 2012 – let us all take an oath...

·  I will raise my son with such diligence and care that no other girl will ever be dragged down that road again.

·  I don’t know about the whole country but here on onwards I will take responsibility for myself – I will be the change that I want in the society.

·  I will never mock another person (a girl or a boy) – no matter how inviting I may think it seemed.

·  I will not sit back if I witness a girl being subjected to misbehaviour of any kind.

·  I will never be that passerby who leaves a victim to die by the roadside.

·  I will not vote only and only and only on merit------ not because my fufadh ji is a member of a certain party.

·  I will respect all women – not just my own mother.

·  I will actually respect the law and not just say it.

·  I will not pull a Ghajni this time.

·  I will not let Damini die.