In another incident of violence against Dalits in Gujarat, a 30-year-old ragpicker Mukesh Vaniya was tied up and beaten to death by heavy iron rods on Sunday in Rajkot. Five people have been arrested on charges of his murder. One of them is a minor and another a factory owner.
There are conflicting reports on why Mukesh was beaten up using iron rods. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, his wife Jaya, who was also allegedly beaten up, said, “Seeing us around the factory, they (the accused workers) inquired about our caste. When we said we are chamar (Dalit), they asked us to clear the garbage to which we refused.”
However, according to a report in The Hindu, he was beaten up since he was mistaken to be a thief.
Whatever may be the case, one aspect which has been reported same everywhere is the fact that he belonged to the Scheduled Caste community. Jignesh Mevani tweeted the video of the incident. He went on to say that this incident was even more ‘gruesome’ than that of the Una incident, where four Dalit men were flogged by self-proclaimed gau rakshaks in July 2016. He wrote on Facebook, “This is a far more gruesome incident than [that in] Una. In Una, the victims were beaten up and humiliated. Whereas, here a man lost his life amidst caste violence. The government of Gujarat has still not learned from its past mistake.”
Gujarat, like every other state in the country, has a past and present of discrimination and violence against the Dalit community. Majority of the Dalit farmers in Gujarat are landless. In as many as 16 districts of Gujarat, over 80% of farmers are classified as ‘agricultural labourers’ – farmers who work for wages on the land of others.
The Dalits are not just economically marginalised. There are also at the receiving end of violence which puts their lives at risk in Gujarat.
In March, a 21-year-old Dalit man was allegedly killed in Umrala, Gujarat by upper caste men for riding a horse in his village. In October 2017, a Dalit youth was allegedly killed for watching garba in Bhadraniya, Gujarat.
While Dalit violence is an unfortunate reality in contemporary India, Gujarat has particularly been in the news for both the violence and a spirited grassroots movement which erupted in the state two years ago.
It all began after a video went viral of four Dalit youths being thrashed by gau rakshaks after being tied to an SUV in front of a group of onlookers in Una, Gujarat. The violent incident took place on July 11, 2016. They were accused of being involved in cow slaughter, even though they were just in possession of the carcasses of a cow for skinning purposes. It is an occupation which many people belonging to the Dalit community are engaged in.
The incident was followed by large-scale protests all over central Gujarat. Dalit protesters attempted suicide, buses were torched and there were long marches. As a sign of protest, some people from the Dalit community also dumped carcasses of cows on the streets. Even though the Scheduled Caste community is just 6.74% of the total population in the state, its movement succeeded in creating enormous pressure on the Gujarat government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forced to condemn the actions of the gau rakshaks.
Then chief minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel also resigned in early August, with the Dalit protests fresh in memory. Even though she never disclosed the reasons for her abrupt resignation as the Gujarat CM, it was widely believed that she was under pressure following such a huge protest which had rocked the state.
The movement which began due to the incident in Una district ended up giving rise to Jignesh Mevani. He would eventually go on to become an independent MLA from Vadgam constituency in Gujarat in December 2017. Today, after Mayawati, he is arguably the most popular Dalit politician in the country whose presence in national level politics is also felt.
Even though Jignesh Mevani has termed this incident more ‘gruesome’ than the one that transpired in Una, we have to wait and see if this results in similar kind of protests in the state. However, one thing is very clear. This generation of Dalits will not take such inhuman oppression lying down. By showing resistance on the streets to sitting in legislative assemblies, they shall do whatever the circumstances require.
This time last year was a very bitter-sweet time for me. On one hand, I was sad because I was graduating from college, leaving a place where I’d spent the last three years of my life. On the other hand, a part of me was top-of-the-world happy because a new phase of my life was about to begin.
I was anxious about what lay outside of that comfort zone between home to college and back, and I was overwhelmed with the memories I had made at this place. Moreover, it was difficult to imagine life without some of my closest friends and my family. My transition from an overly protected younger child in the house to someone who could take control of her own life wasn’t exactly easy.
I had received admission offers from my top priority schools and my dream of studying abroad finally felt like it could come true. Until May last year, I was under the impression that my life is going to change and everything will be sorted very soon. I had my admission offers and all that was left was to pack my bags and go.
Sounds easy, right? Not quite. My journey of learning lessons started much before the actual ‘moving abroad’ bit happened and continued after. While there are countless things that the past eight months away from home, in a different country have taught me, here are a few important ones:
Lesson 1: Finding My Own Identity
In more ways than one, moving out has helped me find my own identity. I grew up with an elder sister and often found myself in her shadows consciously or subconsciously. The experience of living by myself and being responsible for all things big and small – from what to eat for the next meal, to how much money to spend this month – has really helped me detach my personality from hers and be confident about my choices being my own – independent of her or anyone else’s influence. Additionally, I am comfortable in my own skin and confident about what I want from my life. I am unafraid of asking questions – because, one of my first lessons as a postgrad student was ‘no question is stupid’.
Lesson 2: Adjusting To A New Environment
It takes a while to settle in, to find your kind of people and adjust to the twenty thousand changes happening around you. What helped me adjust was learning from people’s experiences, and pick up the best of their qualities. You’ll be surprised by how much people you surround yourself with can have a positive impact on you. In the past eight months, I have seen and met people from different walks of life, and I have been in a very culturally diverse environment.
I was lucky to have found the best of people as my flatmates. Of course, having my best friend move to the same city with me (thank the lords) was more than I could ask for, and that has definitely made this experience much easier.
With my best friend.
Lesson 3: How To Pick Yourself Up And Deal With Failures
During this process of settling in, I have made my fair share of mistakes. I have chosen wrong, taken the easy way out – probably more than I’d like to admit. But living by myself has also taught me how to hold myself accountable. I have learned how to forgive myself, and pick myself up after a bad day. One of my biggest challenges, which everyone struggles with is being homesick. For me, it is almost a weekly affair. I am extremely grateful for the support that I found in my family and my closest friends. I talk to them often and that helps me feel at home, relatively.
What also helps me cope is keeping myself busy with other things like, dance. I am part of the dance society at my new college, and I often go out for walks around my hostel if I feel too lonely. Of course, I have had my bad days – sometimes weeks too. Those are moments where I remind myself what a friend had told me before coming here: “There’s nothing a Bollywood song cannot fix.”
Lesson 4: How to Cook And Other Very Important Life Hacks
One way in which moving abroad pushes you out of your comfort zone is that it forces you to be self-reliant. Things which we take for granted at home like food, clothes, cleanliness – we suddenly become responsible for all of that. While I knew my basics of cooking before coming to London, I have become more of an expert only after coming here. I still burn my omelettes, or spill the tea on the stove every now and then – but mostly I am capable of feeding myself (excluding frozen food and Maggi). What I have also learned is that I actually like cooking on most days and find it recreational. I also enjoy trying new recipes and eating them (that’s a little risky, but equally worth it when you get it right). I have also learned other life hacks like how to stitch buttons, washing clothes, cleaning bathrooms and dealing with a spider in your room. Not all of them have been as fun as cooking!
When I gave cooking a shot.
Lesson 5: A Much-needed Reality Check
I grew up dreaming about the life abroad and what it would feel like. Bollywood, like in most cases, did not help – I had exaggerated the impact it would have on my life, and how great it would feel. I had this idea that I’d get a grand welcome like Rohan from K3G when he first arrived in London.
And that’s probably where a lot of you might be today. If that’s what you are looking for, it’s time you know that is only a very small part of the experience. Mostly, it’s processed in which you must be prepared to make a lot of hard choices. Giving up on eating out, spending money on shopping every month, buying new stationery as a source of motivation – are probably some of the things you might not be able to do. You’ll always feel that there’s not enough money, and there’s no easy way to say that.
My first night abroad was lonely and hard – it meant sleeping on a bare mattress, using my jacket as a pillow, eating a cold sandwich after having dragged my three suitcases across the hostel. I have had a good mix of those hard nights when I had no idea what I was doing here and the ones where I felt like I fit right in, and this is where I am meant to be.
Making a decision can be extremely taxing – with all the stress, anxiety and pressure of figuring your life out; and so I hope this helps a little bit. If you think you are ready for all of the above challenges, which is probably the only thing I was sure of when I first decided to come across the continent – then maybe this is for you. Moving abroad was not the magic wand that I thought I needed for adulthood (I am still looking for that!) – but I wouldn’t do it any other way.
Most of us are taught not to discuss sex and the sexual harassment that we face, or to then use elusive language to talk about it. In fact, we do not even have simple everyday words or phrases to describe acts of harassment and assault. For instance, in Telugu we say “nannu edipinchadu” (“he made me cry“) or “nannu ibbandi pettadu” (“he made me uncomfortable“) instead of saying “he sexually harassed me“. So many of us face the repercussions of this silence, elusiveness, and lack of language in our lives.
I was molested on Hyderabad city buses numerous times, but there is one experience that I can never forget. I was 19 years old and was returning home from college. An older man was pushing his way through the women in the crowded bus. While brushing past me, he put his finger into my private parts over my clothes. I was infuriated and yelled “What are you doing?”, unable to express myself any other way.
He asked me mockingly “What did I do?” He repeated the question a few times, challenging me to spell out what he did. I froze, unable to handle the attention from the other passengers. I tried to hold back my tears. I felt utterly shamed and humiliated. More than his act of molestation, it’s the shame that keeps this memory alive. I was infuriated that I as a victim felt shamed and the abuser walked away victorious. At that moment I realized that this abuser had some power over me, though I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Naming And Shaming
After a few years I began to recognize what this power is: the abuser enjoyed this power because it is unacceptable for women to mention anything sexual in public. Women are not allowed to describe abuse because there is sexual language involved in that description. If we use it, we risk being considered ‘loose’ and ‘characterless’ and might be punished further. Men on the other hand are not shamed for using sexual language and many feel that it’s their right to use sexual language online and in person to ‘put women in their place’. A senior Bollywood director (who started his career in Tollywood) did something similar when, reacting to her criticism of his movie, he told a middle-aged woman activist that he will cast her in his next adult film.
The way to change this unequal situation is for women to own sexual language, talk about sex and name sexual abuse openly. If we start talking, it will be one way in which we can challenge the power imbalance that men enjoy over women, and more particularly, abusers enjoy over victims. But it is not easy to use such language, because the consequences for such rebellions are victim-blaming, slut-shaming and sometimes further abuse.
A few years ago, I spoke on the need for sex education in high schools in a television discussion. Soon after, I got a phone call from an unknown number. A strange man at the other end asked me if I wanted to have sex with him. He assumed that because I believed that sex education should be imparted in high schools, I was in need of sex, that too from a stranger! This call deterred me from mentioning anything related to sex on television again.
An Unlikely Whistleblower
Recently, we witnessed an aspiring actress-turned-whistleblower use sexual language to describe sexual abuse and we are seeing its effects. On April 19, Telugu actress Sri Reddy, now famous for raising the issue of sexual harassment in the film industry, called ‘casting couch’ in the industry, was on live television. She released pictures of herself with an alleged abuser. People reacted to the photo saying that pictures looked like they were both in a relationship. Sri Reddy then looked at the camera and told the viewers to take their children away from the screen. She then told the people questioning her that even though they were in a relationship at some point, she was forced to perform sexual acts she did not want. She said “who wants to suck his nasty thing” and expressed how she felt violated and traumatized.
This was an important moment on Telugu television and for the discourse on sexual violence in the Telugu public sphere. She told young and old women watching television in her own way that their partners cannot force them to do sexual acts they don’t want to do and consent is required in every situation and relationship; that women have a right to say no and describe abuse for what it is. She took away the power of the abuser by using sexually explicit language on live television. She refused to be shamed for being abused and instead shamed the abuser. She sought justice by normalising the use of sexually explicit language to describe the abuse she faced.
This was not the only time Sri Reddy used sexually explicit language in public. The most talked about incident happened on March 23, 2018, when Sri Reddy was interviewed by a YouTube channel. It proceeded like an interrogation. The interviewer initially asked her if she gave a “commitment” (Telugu film industry’s word for sexual favors in exchange for work) for her earlier movies. She said “No”. But he repeated the question three more times as if he was not convinced, as if it was unbelievable that she got the part based on her talent. To her claim that she gained attention for her film “Aravind 2”, his pat answer was that she got recognized only for her ‘bold exposing’ (i.e., revealing clothes). His smugness was evident. He had put her in her place, presenting her as a sleazy actress aspiring for a chaste heroine role that she did not deserve!
At this point she said something that became hugely controversial. She asked him “Why can’t I expect lead roles?”, “What do I lack?”, “Didn’t you see my videos on FB?” and “Meeku 90 degrees avvale?” which translates to “did you not have an erection?”. The interviewer was flustered and tried to change the subject. She went after him a few more times, demanding an answer to her question. The hurt interviewer responded with more sexism and said her face
“was not good enough to be cast in a lead role”. She smiled and threatened to walk away from the interview.
The term “90 degrees” is now used everyday by several people, mostly men, to shame Sri Reddy and harass her online. They say that she doesn’t deserve to speak against sexual harassment because she uses sexual language on air. The term is mentioned numerous times in YouTube comments sections, in an attempt to shame and silence her.
Turning The Tables
This interview was a significant moment, when a woman could own up her sexuality and refuse to be shamed and refuse to be powerless. Sri Reddy refused to conform to the norm of a woman who must avoid sexual language at all costs. Even more remarkably, she used sexual language to silence the sexism directed at her!
Equally importantly, she reversed the gaze onto men as consumers of sexually explicit images and visuals. Even after many women came out with horrendous stories of the casting couch, the current focus in the Telugu media is still on the young actresses’ culpability—their willingness to give sexual favors and to ‘expose’ in films.
There is hardly any discussion on how the ‘casting couch’ has become a norm, or on the men asking for sex in exchange for work, or the normalised culture of male entitlement to women’s bodies. There is little focus on how filmmakers sexualise women, making ‘exposing’ a necessary part of the job.
By asking the interviewer whether he was aroused by her photos and videos, Sri Reddy brought the male consumerist demand for sexualisation back into the conversation.She pointed, through her question to the interviewer, to the vast audience for such images, which consumes them and then shames women for ‘exposing’. In this way, she pointed sharply to the hypocrisy of the audience which does not acknowledge its role in sexualisation and exploitation of women in the industry.
Her naming of the sexual acts has pushed the conversations on sex and sexual violence forward by a decade for the Telugu audience. When more women from the film industry came out and named one man who abused several of them, the anchor on a prime time television program used the term ‘blow job’ to describe how this man horribly abused several women and minor girls to overcome his erectile dysfunction. The use of this term in Telugu public sphere would have been unimaginable a few days ago!
Sri Reddy proved that using sexual language can be an effective way to show a mirror to men who shame women. Lots of haters (mostly men) are reacting with sexually violent and abusive language against Sri Reddy. This violence and shaming is relentless, but she remains undeterred. Many of these men seem to mourn the loss of their power to shame women by, and prevent them from, using sexually explicit language.
Using sexually explicit language is not possible for all women and often has disturbing consequences. It doesn’t get celebrated or have any societal approval. Some people want to distance themselves from her fight against the ‘casting couch’ and sexual exploitation because she uses ‘vulgar’ language. But I believe that Sri Reddy is liberating us from the vulgarity of male entitlement to language and bodies.
I am writing this while on my period. The last few days, I have spiralled almost out of control – I have cried incessantly, with thoughts of me being absolutely worthless. My PMS is more like a pre-menstrual monster – and my feelings are its prey. I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and anxiety earlier this year, but I know I have been suffering for over a year now. Each time before my period, the antidepressants fail, the sleep vanishes and the crying comes in – full blown.
I laugh at myself sometimes — how did I allow myself to become this person? This person who says ridiculous “poor me” things to her friends, is angry all the time, almost cancels an important trip, wants to run away from home…
I wonder – how does my mind have so much control over myself? People say they miss the ‘old me’. I have no recollection of the ‘old me’. I am who I am – broken, damaged, emotionally scarred – this is me. There is no old and there is no new. The present me is impulsive, and while PMSing, even more so.
My doctor says it’s a hormonal imbalance, a chemical imbalance that’s not in my control. How does one explain that to the people I have hurt, and to the guilt I feel? I need a mountain of validation to survive nowadays. “You are smart, Lipi”, “You are needed”, “You are entrepreneurial”, “You are a good friend”, “Heck, you are my best friend”. What made it become so bad? There is anger, there is frustration, there is a vast emptiness inside of me that I am getting restless to fill.
Sometimes, books help fill the void.
Last night, I cried myself to sleep while loudly telling myself, “You are bigger than your depression, you are deeper than these tears, you will get out of it.” When things are at their worst, I try and be more compassionate towards myself. My sister tells me, “Instead of why and how, ask ‘what’. What is making me feel so sad, instead of why am I always so sad?”
You know, I have read countless stories on mental health, I have met and interviewed people with mental illnesses, but today, when I am suffering, when I am speaking out, I realise the value of self-compassion. Self-compassion is understanding that my period makes me volatile and impetuous, it is understanding that PMS makes me feel like I am worthless, like I don’t deserve love.
This is a real as hell feeling — dark but real. Self-compassion is about really understanding that you don’t need to be rich or successful or have a partner or a great job to be happy. It’s about living in the present and trying to let go of the guilt of the past and the anxiety of the future.
As I bleed through my vagina, I also bleed mentally. Every month — non-stop. I want to break the silence around how real the connection between PMS, menstruation and depression is, and my heart goes out to the thousands of women who go through self-hatred every month for no fault of their own.
Through this post, I also want to apologise to the friends I distanced myself from because I had no words to say; to the work and the boss I was so unfair to, because I only cared about fear and validation; to the family who stood by me but whose value I didn’t realise until it was too late; to the books and the music and the adventures that went untouched because I was too sad…
I am trying to get better — I am trying to become a better person. I don’t know how long this recovery will take — but hey, my period is getting over soon! And to end this supremely dukhi post on a different note, cheers to self-compassion and to the last time (June 2017), when I felt truly happy. I conquered the mountain in this photo, I’m looking forward to winning over the mountain of my mind too. Here’s to climbing upwards.
Ireland will go into polls on Friday for a historic and landmark referendum on the future of abortion laws. The procedure is currently restricted by the 8th amendment of their constitution, which protects the rights of the mother and her unborn child. The discussion on the laws related to abortion flared up after an Indian-origin woman Savita Halappanavar who was along 17 weeks of her pregnancy died after she was denied an abortion after being diagnosed with blood poisoning. The results to be announced on Saturday will change the face of the women rights in Ireland, but what about the rights pertaining to abortion in India?
The big question that stands is if it is accepted by the people of our country, where the word ‘sex’ in itself is a taboo.
The Laws In India
The Indian abortion laws falls under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, which was enacted by the Indian Parliament in the year 1971. Access to abortion is legal but restricted in India. It can only be performed up to 20 weeks of conception and after the 20-week mark, it can only be performed under special circumstances, at a court’s discretion. 20 weeks are also divided into two categories: If the pregnancy is under 12 weeks, it has to be signed off by only one doctor, who can then perform the procedure on the mother. As it crosses the 12-week mark, it has to be signed off by two doctors. The underlining point is that a woman can’t solely decide to abort the baby if she desires to. According to the MTP Act, it can be performed with the consent of the doctor under four circumstances only:
If continuation of the pregnancy poses any risks to the life of the mother or to her physical or mental health.
If the foetus has any severe abnormalities.
If pregnancy occurred as a result of failure of contraception (but this is only applicable to married women).
If pregnancy is a result of sexual assault or rape.
Also, what becomes a problem with this provision is the slow and drawn out law proceedings. One case that deserves mention with regard to this problem is the case of a 14-year-old from UP who was raped but denied abortion because the law proceedings took entire eight weeks, leading her to the stage of ‘advanced pregnancy’ (about 33 weeks). Sadly, the girl had to marry her rapist, following ostracization from the family and society.
The point that people majorly mistake is that a pregnant female has to be accompanied by either the father or any member of her family for abortion, which is misleading because the MTP Act gives adult women the autonomy to decide for themselves. A doctor cannot ask for anyone’s consent except for the mother’s. Due to poor public information system, the vast majority of women in rural area are unaware of the fact that abortion is legal. This has further contributed to increased female mortality rate in India. Lack of information about such an important issue forces women to buy over the counter abortion pills, which shouldn’t be taken without a doctor’s help. This has also led to an increase in the number of quacks, who operate under unsanitary conditions and are unlicensed.
With the advancement of technology, our government should increase the maximum bar to get an abortion from 20 weeks to 24 weeks. Doctors say that it is completely safe to abort a baby before 24 weeks. But, why are these measures not taken?
Women’s’ right activists fight over the omission of woman’s choice and want the government to increase the 20 weeks bar.
Draft medical termination of pregnancy (amendment) bill, 2014, takes care of all the things mentioned above but the after taking various sounds of the cabinet, it is till stuck in Prime minister’s office. It is probably not important for them, as the cabinet is dominated by male ministers and the fact that men don’t get pregnant so it is a moot point for them.
Indian society has changed drastically over the past few decades. Single women are more confident about being sexually active than before. Many women are divorced, single, or in a live-in relationship. We need to recognize the rights of all these women in our country and more flexible laws should be enacted so that unfortunate cases like that of Savita Halappanavar does not repeat here.
एक वक्त था जब पीरियड्स पर बात करने पर आपको बेशर्म होने के तमगे से नवाज़ दिया जाता था। लेकिन, आज लड़कियों/महिलाओं ने इस बेशर्मी को खुलकर स्वीकारा है। वे खुलकर बात कर रहीं, लिख रहीं, अपनी आवाज़ उठा रही हैं।
बावजूद इसके इन जागरूक लड़कियों और महिलाओं में भी पीरियड्स स्वास्थ्य से जुड़ी जागरूकता की कमी देखने को मिलती है, जिसका खामियाज़ा उन्हें कई इन्फेक्शन या किसी अन्य बीमारियों के रूप में चुकाना पड़ता है।
या फिर कई बार हम जागरूक होने के बावजूद सुविधाओं की कमी की वजह से हाइजीन से संबंधित बातों को नज़रअंदाज़ कर जाते हैं।
ऐसा मेरे साथ भी कई बार हुआ है। जिसका एक उदाहरण है न्यूज़ रिपोर्टिंग के दौरान फील्ड में काम के लिए दिन भर एक ही पैड लगाकर घूमना। रिपोर्टिंग के दौरान अकसर सुबह घर से निकलने के बाद रात को ही वापस आना होता था। इस दौरान पब्लिक शौचालय मिलना काफी मुश्किल था, और अगर मिला भी तो साफ-सफाई के पैमाने पर तो बिलकुल भी खड़ा नहीं उतरता था। खासकर, ग्रामीण इलाकों में रिपोर्टिंग के दौरान शौचालय मिलना काफी मुश्किल हो जाता था। इस वजह से पीरियड्स के दौरान कई बार मुझे एक ही पैड लगाकर दिन भर घूमना पड़ता था।
यहां तक कि पीरियड्स के दूसरे और तीसरे दिन जब फ्लो सबसे ज़्यादा होता है उस दौरान भी मुझे एक ही पैड लगाकर दिन-भर घूमना पड़ा है। मुझे पता होता था कि मेरा पैड खून से भर चुका है, लेकिन मुझे कोई ऐसी जगह नहीं मिलती थी जहां मैं अपना पैड बदल सकूं। गीले पैड लगाकर घूमने से कई बार स्कीन में खुजली और रैशेज की समस्या का भी सामना करना पड़ता था।
डॉक्टरों की सलाह के अनुसार हर 6 से 8 घंटे में पैड और कपड़ों को बदल लेना चाहिए। ऐसा ना करने पर स्कीन में बैक्टीरियल या फंगल इनफेक्श का खतरा बना रहता है। शुरुआत में उस इलाके में खुजली की समस्या होती है, जो धीरे-धीरे स्कीन इन्फेक्शन का कारण बन सकता है।
शौचालय की समस्या सिर्फ मैंने फील्ड में ही नहीं झेली है। बल्कि एक ऑफिस में काम करते हुए भी मुझे इस समस्या का सामना करना पड़ा है। हालांकि वहां मैं खुद की भी गलती मानती हूं। क्योंकि उस ऑफिस में वॉशरूम तो ज़रूर था, लेकिन डस्टबिन नहीं होने की वजह से पीरियड्स के दौरान मुझे पास के एक मार्केट के वॉशरूम का इस्तेमाल करना पड़ता था। जो कम-से-कम ऑफिस से 1 किमी की दूरी पर था अब बात रही मेरी गलती कि तो मेरी गलती यह थी कि मैंने डस्टबीन के लिए खुलकर कभी बात नहीं की। मैं उस ऑफिस में अकेली महिला स्टाफ थी इसलिए मेरा बेझिझक होकर बात करना बहुत ज़रूरी था।
उन दिनों मैं इरेग्युलर पीरियड्स की समस्या से भी गुज़र रही थी। मुझे याद है कि उस बार मुझे तकरीबन 4 महीने के बाद पीरियड आया था। और उससे पहले वाला पीरियड तकरीबन 40 दिनों तक लगातार चला था। इस वजह से मेरा शरीर काफी कमज़ोर हो चुका था। उस वक्त मेरा फ्लो भी काफी ज़्यादा था और मुझे दर्द भी काफी हो रहा था। मैं उस भयावह दर्द में ना सिर्फ ऑफिस का काम कर रही थीं बल्कि बार-बार उतनी दूर चलकर पैड चेंज करने के लिए भी मुझे जाना पड़ रहा था। जबकि उस वक्त सीट से उठना भी मेरे लिए किसी सज़ा से कम नहीं था। फ्लो ज़्यादा होनी की वजह से मुझे हर दूसरे घंटे पैड चेंज करने के लिए जाना पड़ रहा था। मार्केट का वॉशरूम भी काफी गंदा था। जिसकी वजह से मुझे इन्फेक्शन का भी खतरा बना रहता था।
मैं अपने इस अनुभव को सिर्फ इसलिए शेयर कर रही हूं ताकि आप मेरी जैसी गलती नहीं करें। सिर्फ महिला ही नहीं पुरुष भी अगर पीरियड्स पर खुलकर बात करेंगे तो किसी को पीरियड्स से जुड़ी ऐसी समस्या का सामना नहीं करना पड़ेगा।
किसी आपदा के समय शायद ही किसी का ध्यान इस ओर जाता होगा कि जो महिलाएं पीरियड्स में हैं उन्हें कपड़े या नैपकिन कैसे मिल रहे होंगे। बीबीसी की पत्रकार सीटू तिवारी बताती हैं कि एक वर्कशाप में जब मुझसे यह पूछा गया कि बाढ़ की स्थिति में वह क्या कवर करेंगी तो उनका जवाब था कि मैं उस वक्त पीरियड हुई महिलाओं की स्टोरी कवर करूंगी। उन महिलाओं को पैड या कपड़ा मिल रहा है या नहीं, अगर कपड़ा इस्तेमाल कर रही तो उसे सुखाने का कैसा इंतज़ाम है, वे अपनी साफ-सफाई का कितना ख्याल रख पा रही है।
पीरियड के लिए स्वजागरूकता के साथ ही ज़रूरी है कि हमें ज़रूरी सुविधाएं भी मुहैया कराई जाएं। जिनमें पब्लिक प्लेस और वर्किंग प्लेस में शौचालय और उस शौचालय में डस्टबीन की सुविधा भी शामिल है।
मुझे अपने जीवन में कभी पीरियड्स को लेकर किसी टैबूज़ का तो सामना नहीं करना पड़ा, लेकिन हाइजीन और पीरियड्स से जुड़ी सामान्य स्वास्थ्य की समस्याओं से ज़रूर दो-चार होना पड़ा है। और इस जानकारी के अभाव में उन समस्याओं की अपनी ही एक गलत समझ विकसित कर ली थी।
दो साल पहले मुझे बारथोलिन सिस्ट हुआ था। डॉक्टर ने बारथोलिन सिस्ट होने की वजह जानने के लिए मुझसे दो-तीन सवाल किए थे। जिनमें एक सवाल टैम्पून के इस्तेमाल के बारे में भी पूछा था। हालांकि मैंने कभी टैम्पून इस्तेमाल नहीं किया था। लेकिन, डॉक्टर की बात से मेरे अंदर टैम्पून का डर बैठ गया था कि टैम्पून इस तरह के इन्फेक्शन का एक कारण बन सकता है। और मैंने ये सोच लिया था कि टैम्पून का इस्तेमाल ही गलत है। डॉक्टर ने बाद में मेरे इस डर को दूर किया। उन्होंने बताया कि टैम्पून का इस्तेमाल गलत नहीं होता है, निर्भर करता है कि आप उसका इस्तेमाल कैसे कर रहे हैं।
गायनोकोलॉजिस्ट डॉक्टर मन्जू माला के अनुसार सुपर अबज़ॉरवेंट टैम्पून (ज़्यादा नमी सोखने वाले) खतरनाक हो सकता है। साथ ही कई महिलाएं जिनको ज़्यादा ब्लीडिंग होती है वे एक साथ दो टैम्पून का इस्तेमाल करती हैं जो काफी खतरनाक होता है, इससे इन्फेक्शन का खतरा बना रहता है।
2012 में कैलिफोर्निया की एक मॉडल लॉरेन वेज़र को सुपर अबज़ॉरवेंट टैम्पून के इस्तेमाल की वजह से अपना पैर गंवाना पड़ा था। वेज़र ने जिस टैम्पून का इस्तेमाल किया था वो टॉक्सिक शॉक सिंड्रोम के लिए पॉज़िटीव था। यूएस नेशनल लाइब्रेरी ऑफ मेडिसिन के अनुसार, टॉक्सिक शॉक सिंड्रोम (Toxic Shock Syndrome) के लगभग आधे केस की वजह टैम्पून का इस्तेमाल होता है।
हालांकि रिपोर्ट्स के अनुसार, सिर्फ टैम्पून का इस्तेमाल ही इसका कारण नहीं रहा। मॉडल के शरीर में पहले से ही बैक्टीरिया का कुछ स्त्रोत रहा होगा।
इसके साथ ही बिना पीरियड्स के टैम्पून का इस्तेमाल असामान्य वजाइनल डिस्चार्ज का कारण भी बनता है। इसलिए टैम्पून के इस्तेमाल के समय पूरी जानकारी बहुत ज़रूरी है।
रिप्रोडक्टिव सेक्शुअल हेल्थ पर काम करते हुए मुझे कई ऐसी औरतों और लड़कियों से मिलने का मौका मिला जिनके लिए हाइजीन मेंटेन करना बहुत मुश्किल काम था। वे ज़्यादातर मज़दूर परिवार से ताल्लुक रखने वाली महिलाएं थीं। उन्होंने बताया कि वे ज़्यादातर कपड़ों का ही इस्तेमाल करती हैं और यहां तक की एक ही कपड़े को धोकर उसे वापस इस्तेमाल करना उनके लिए मजबूरी है।
यहां मैं आपको बता दूं कि यूज़्ड कपड़ों को वापस से इस्तेमाल करने में कोई खास समस्या नहीं है। कई लोगों के लिए ये संभव ही नहीं कि वे बार-बार, अलग-अलग कपड़ों का इस्तेमाल करें। और उनके लिए पैड इस्तेमाल करने की बात तो दूर की हो जाती है।
लेकिन, इसमें इस बात का ख्याल रखना चाहिए कि आप जिस यूज़्ड कपड़ों को धोकर इस्तेमाल कर रहे हैं, वो ठीक से साफ हुआ हो। उसे सर्फ या साबुन से धोने के साथ ही डेटॉल का भी इस्तेमाल करें ताकि उसमें लगा बैक्टीरिया मर जाए। साथ ही बैक्टीरिया को पूरी तरह खत्म करने के लिए उसे धूप में सूखाना बहुत ज़रूरी है। जो कि अधिकांश घरों में शर्म की बात मानकर घर के अंदर छुपाकर सुखाने के लिए डाल दिया जाता है। लेकिन, इस बात का ख्याल रखें कि आपकी ये बेवजह की शर्म आपके लिए बहुत भारी पड़ सकती है। इसके साथ ही आप अपने अंडरगार्मेंट्स को भी धूप में ज़रूर सुखाएं।
गंदे सैनेटरी पैड या कपड़ों के इस्तेमाल से काफी इन्फेक्शन का खतरा बना रहता है। ऐसा करने पर बैक्टेरिया वजाइना से होते हुए गर्भाशय में भी प्रवेश कर सकता है।
इन बैक्टीरिया से बचने के लिए हमें पीरियड्स के दौरान खुद के शरीर की साफ-सफाई भी बहुत ज़रूरी है। हर बार वॉशरूम जाने पर पूरे इलाके को अच्छी तरह से पानी से धोंए। इससे आपके शरीर पर बैक्टीरिया ठहर नहीं पाता है। इसके साथ ही हर बार अच्छे से हाथ धोना भी बहुत ज़रूरी है।
दरअसल, साफ-सफाई की अनदेखी की वजह से बैक्टीरिया वजाइना में प्रवेश कर सकता है जो आगे चलकर भयावह यूरिन इन्फेक्श का कारण बन सकता है। इन बैक्टीरिया में हेपेटाइटिस बी का स्त्रोत भी होता है।
ना सिर्फ अपनी साफ-सफाई बल्कि पीरियड्स के दौरान वातावरण की साफ-सफाई की ज़िम्मेदारी भी बहुत ज़रूरी है। यूज़्ड सैनेटरी पैड, कपड़ा, टैम्पून जैसी सामग्रियों का सही तरह से डिस्पोज़ल बहुत ज़रूरी है। इस्तेमाल किए गए सैनेटरी पैड्स का सही तरह से निपटान ना करना दूसरों के लिए भी काफी नुकसानदेह साबित हो सकता है। कारण, उन पैड्स, कपड़ों के बैक्टीरिया हवा और पानी में मिलकर वातारण में फैल जाते हैं।
ऐसा माना गया है कि सेक्शुअली ट्रांसमिटेड इन्फेक्शन से भी ज़्यादा खतरनाक पीरियड्स में साफ-सफाई की अनदेखी की वजह से होने वाले इन्फेक्शन होते हैं। क्योंकि शरीर से निकला हुआ खून बैक्टीरिया को वापस हमारे गर्भाशय में जाने का रास्ता बनाता है।
Two months since Cobrapost highlighted how certain media organisations were ready to strike deals to promote the Hindutva agenda, the website has released a second batch of videos that show managers of major media groups giving in to the same pressure for money and to promote the same political agenda.
The sting operation that was carried out by Cobrapost on 27 media houses, was titled Operation 136 – Part 2 and released on May 25. As a part of the operation, undercover videos were shot by journalist Pushp Sharma who went and met owners and managers of media houses under a pseudonym with the offer of promoting Hindutva advertorials for huge sums of money.
Apart from Bengali daily Bartaman Patrika’s general manager (advertisement) Ashish Mukherjee and an executive of another Bengali paper Dainik Sambad, the sting operations reveal that almost all publications, including a few leading ones, were willing to go ahead with Hindutva advertorials.
Cobrapost had earlier released the videos of the first part of Operation 136 earlier this year in March. In the video, many senior-level employees of media houses such as India TV, Dainik Jagran, DNA, ScoopWhoop, etc were seen willing to plant stories in favour of the current Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
The journalist Pushp Sharma had earlier made headlines when he wrote a story for The Milli Gazette in March 2016, which claimed that the current government’s Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) did not recruit Muslims as per government policy. In the story, he had claimed that he came to the conclusion based on an RTI response.
However, AYUSH Ministry categorically denied these claims and the journalist was eventually arrested as well by the Delhi Police for allegedly fabricating the RTI response.
How Was the Operation Conducted?
The journalist Pushp Sharma, under the pseudonym Acharya Atal, went undercover posing as a representative of a Hindutva organisation with a particular agenda of creating a Hindu nationalistic discourse in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
So, Which Media Publications Are We Talking About?
Some of the big media houses whose owners or managers seemed to be willing to run Hindutva advertorials were the Times Group, Hindustan Times, Zee News, ABP, Dainik Jagran, Lokmat and the The New Indian Express.
What Were They Heard Saying?
Vineet Jain, who is the managing director of the Times Group, during the course of the conversation with journalist Pushp Sharma is heard saying, “As a corporate, we have to look neutral. As neutral as possible.”
The media honcho seemed to have no problem with peddling what was described as ‘soft Hindutva’ – preachings of Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita in the Times as advertorials for huge sums of money, even after he is told that it is for purely political purposes.
Similarly, Kalli Purrie, who is the vice-chairman of The India Today group, talks about how she has absolutely no problem in running preachings of Lord Krishna and the sayings of the Bhagavad Gita for peddling a Hindutva agenda.
However, Kalli Purie does point out that there would be absolutely no editorial interference and that they would criticise the organisation editorially if they were doing any in-field activities which they did not agree with.
Pushp Sharma also warns that during the course of the election campaigning they may take part in some polarising activities and do some ‘nasty kind of things’. Purie asks them to not do it but this doesn’t end up in her refusing to do business with Pushp Sharma.
Responding to Cobrapost, India Today has claimed that there was no relationship between the ‘business side’ of the organisation and its editorial coverage in any way.
HT Media Limited associate vice-president Avneesh Bansal even gave suggestions to Push Sharma on how he should go about doing his job for maximum impact. He urged him to tie up with media houses and give crores of rupees, which would automatically put the editorial team under pressure. On top of that, he also recommended him to hire a PR agency to control reporters who work for ‘monetary desire’.
However, Dainik Bhaskar successfully managed to get an ex-parte order from the Delhi High Court which prevented Cobrapost from making public the communication it had with the media house.
Why Is this A Big issue?
Media funding has always been a cause of concern and controversy in India. It is said that since a majority of the funding that most media houses receive is in the form of advertisements – government or private enterprise – their hands remain tied. This makes them editorially vulnerable and also prevents them from doing very powerful stories against the organisations which may be funding them.
However, these particular sting operations aren’t just about editorial independence. They are also about how these advertisements were about a particular political agenda and the reporter blatantly mentioned that the organisation would communally vitiate the environment in India before the elections if required. While it may not be against the legal framework to create and showcase such advertorials, it puts the independence of the media in jeopardy since it promotes a particular political narrative.
Whatever may be the past credentials of the reporter Pushp Sharma, no media house has come out saying that the videos are fake. Even India Today’s response does not claim that it is not the voice of Kalli Purie.
The fact that 25 media houses in the world’s largest democracy were willing to go ahead with such controversial advertorials promoting a political agenda should ring alarm bells amongst the citizenry.
TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual Assault, Online Sexual Harassment, Explicit Language.
On July 24, 2016, a student from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, wrote on Facebook about her experience of sexual assault. “I was molested by Ekalavya Chaudhuri on four different occasions,” she said, accusing her classmate from Jadavpur University’s Department of English (JUDE).
The four incidents had taken place over a year ago, between May and August 2015. On August 24, The Student brought them to the attention of her department professors, who reprimanded Chaudhuri and let him off with a warning. At the time, The Student chose not to file an official complaint.
Chaudhuri was a popular figure at JUDE. He routinely topped exams and was known for being a proficient debater, actor, writer and performer. He was a regular in Kolkata’s slam-poetry and theatre circles. His profile on Ask.fm, a question-and-answer-based social networking platform, is full of messages from anonymous admirers. One of them wrote, “From the first time I came across you… I have been in absolute awe. You are a person who has inspired me tremendously.”
Chaudhuri is also the son of Chandreyee Niyogi, a highly-regarded professor of English and Women’s Studies at Jadavpur University. “You can see my reasons for not wanting to file an official complaint,” The Student later told me. “I was worried about pissing off the wrong people.”
A month later, in September 2015, a girl from Loreto College, Kolkata, contacted some of Chaudhuri’s classmates. She provided them with screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation with Chaudhuri, in which he repeatedly made graphic sexual remarks despite her refusal to engage.
Chaudhuri’s classmates were livid. They ambushed him one day after class and forced him to sign an informal statement, which said, “The class requests and recommends that the concerned individual seek counselling focusing on the concepts of consent and personal space.”
The Student alleges that, in the following months, Chaudhuri’s behaviour toward her became increasingly passive aggressive. “He stopped all the touching, but found other ways to harass me. He would glare at me across classrooms, especially on days when we had exams or class presentations,” she said. The Student also alleged that a friend of Chaudhuri’s – Janhabi Mukherjee of Presidency College had been bullying her online. Months later, at her wit’s end, she decided to air her grievances on Facebook.
The Student’s disclosure sparked an online reckoning. Before the day was up, 20-year-old Chaudhuri had been accused of sexual harassment by at least 17 more women. Screenshots of messages he’d allegedly sent to some of them began circulating widely on social media — over 40,000 people were ‘talking about this’ on Facebook.
Other allegations of assault emerged. One girl wrote on Facebook that Chaudhuri had pinned her down and tried to strip her while she “protested violently and vehemently.” Another said she was molested in his bedroom when she went over to borrow books. Two women, I spoke to also claim he sent them “unsolicited pictures of a sexual nature”.
A day after The Student’s Facebook post, 13 women from various colleges in Kolkata wrote a joint statement in which they said, “Ekalavya Chaudhuri, you are a molester. A sex offender. A sexual predator.”
On July 26, 2016, The Student and two others from Jadavpur University lodged official complaints with the Registrar. On July 27th, Chaudhuri was indefinitely suspended pending an official inquiry.
According to law, the inquiry should not have taken more than 90 days. However, by the time the case could reach any sort of conclusion, Chaudhuri had already graduated, rendering him immune to punitive action. He is currently pursuing a Masters in English Literature from Presidency University, another reputed Kolkata institution.
II
Multiple students spoke of a ‘whisper network’ in which Chaudhuri’s behaviour towards women was widely discussed. One girl explained to me, “Women had always known about him because he affected them directly.” Another said she knew Chaudhuri “because he had sent creepy messages that he termed as ‘flirtation’ to almost all women in my batch in school.”
According to Chaudhuri himself, “this whole thing is a deliberate and targeted conspiracy against me and my mother.”
About the screenshots, Chaudhuri says, “It is certainly the case that I have had conversations of a sexual nature with people online. These conversations have been graphic and sexual, but always reciprocal (sic). The screenshots uploaded had responses deleted, strategic cropping, distortions and misrepresentations, making them appear very different from how the conversations really ran… The entirety of those existing conversations will tell a very different story.”
Chaudhuri was unwilling to share screenshots of how the conversations really ran.
III
The allegations against Chaudhuri should have been an important moment in the fight for gender parity in Indian universities. They came two years after the Hokkolorob protests, which began in response to an incident of sexual violence at Jadavpur University in 2014, and was the first student agitation against sexual harassment in India.
In the interim years, the University Grants Commission prepared a document titled ‘The Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions’, which prescribes a standard protocol for all HEIs while dealing with sexual harassment complaints. The document also brings students within the ambit of The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, which until then only protected staff members.
According to these new rules, all Universities were required to form an Internal Complaints Committee to oversee complaints of sexual harassment by July 2. When the complaints against Chaudhuri were filed on July 26, more than two weeks past the deadline, Jadavpur University had not yet formed one.
Instead, protesting students demanded that an independent Fact Finding Committee (FFC) be formed to investigate. Rather than follow available — and mandatory — procedures, Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das agreed to this arbitrary demand. He nominated a group of seven students and professors to conduct an inquiry, and gave them 90 days to file a report. They filed one in two weeks.
According to one student, “The FFC’s report is tone deaf and shows no sign of institutional responsibility.”
The report stated that there was prima facie evidence of sexual harassment, but also dismisses the complaints on various technical grounds. It acknowledges the explicit language used by Chaudhuri online, but absolves him of any punitive action, even suggesting that one must consider the harassment faced by Chaudhuri himself in light of these accusations.
The report, by way of conclusion, suggested that the matter be looked at by a “competent authority.”
IV
On September 1, 2016, once again flouting UGC protocol, Das wrote to The Women’s Commission of West Bengal asking them to intervene in the matter. Sunanda Mukherjee, Chairperson of the Women’s Commission, met with two of the complainants soon after. “She said she would look into the case and suggest a way forward for the University and promised to reply to the Vice-Chancellor within seven days,” The Student told me.
Despite several reminders, Mukherjee’s reply never came. She did, however, continue to promise the complainants swift action and assistance. Meanwhile, Das refused to proceed with the investigation until the Commission had taken stock of the situation.
Mukherjee’s response finally arrived in March 2017, a whole seven months later, and left students shocked. The Commission had withdrawn its support from the case. “I told Das that the college was equipped to handle things on its own,” Mukherjee told me, sliding over a copy of the UGC’s notification of May 2, 2016.
She was unable to provide any explanation for the prolonged delay.
Mukherjee, by her own admission, is an old acquaintance of veteran Bengali journalist Sumit Chaudhuri, Ekalavya’s father. Other sources at the Commission reveal that both Chaudhuri’s parents visited Mukherjee separately on two occasions to discuss the allegations against their son.
Despite this conflict of interest, Mukherjee did not recuse herself from the case.
Chaudhuri continued to remain absent from classes during this period, which many students believe was a strategic move by the University. “They sent him on a long, university-sanctioned vacation in order to keep him away from the public eye”, The Student alleged.
Despite being suspended, Chaudhuri was allowed to appear for exams. After his classmates threatened to boycott them, arrangements were made to let Chaudhuri take the exams in his mother’s cabin, out of sight from his peers.
An old graffiti tag down the road from the English Department building. Photo courtesy: Anirjit Guha
V
Following a student protest on April 4, 2017, an ICC was constituted at Jadavpur University in accordance with UGC rules. On August 4, 2017, the ICC submitted a 73-page report of the Chaudhuri case, of which half a page is dedicated to remedial measures.
The ICC report, like the FFC’s before it, was inconclusive. It did not punish or absolve Chaudhuri, and simply reiterated the UGC’s guidelines in recommending that Jadavpur University should “take measures to improve gender sensitisation”.
The report also said that “the University Authority may consider taking expert advice from competent authority ” about how to proceed with the inquiry, a statement which undermines its own role and legal responsibility. Bizarrely, it even recommended that “students should sign an affidavit regarding sexual harassment during admission”.
Two of the complainants allege that they were victim-shamed during their depositions by Sarbani Goswami and Anindita Banerjee Tamta, members of the ICC. The third complainant did not participate in the investigation and did not wish to provide an official comment for this story.
Chaudhuri had, by now, appeared for his final, third-year examinations (which he topped). His mark sheets were held by the University to appease protesting students who were unhappy with the ICC’s investigation but were returned after he sought them out via court order in September 2017.
“The ICC called me and gave me definite assurance that I have been exonerated and that there is no investigation pending against me,” Chaudhuri claims. However, the ICC has not issued any official statement to this effect.
The Student submitted an appeal against the ICC’s report in October 2017, which she alleges has been ignored by the Vice-Chancellor and the ICC.
On December 24, 2017, Chaudhuri’s class wore black ribbons to their convocation ceremony, where Chaudhuri was awarded a medal for his outstanding academic performance. Frustrated, The Student took to the stage to voice her trauma, only to be berated publicly by the Vice-Chancellor, who claimed she was depicting the college in a ‘negative light’. “This incident left me traumatised,” The Student said. “I was shaking when I got down from the stage. I shook that entire day.”
The Student is currently pursuing her post-graduate studies at Jadavpur University, where Chaudhuri’s name is still feverishly discussed among students and faculty members. “As long as I am here, I will make sure people are talking about him,” she says.
But The Student’s determination has taken its toll, requiring her to seek help from multiple mental-health professionals. She had been taking medications for anxiety since January 2016 and had to increase her dosage after the convocation incident. “There was no communication from the ICC about any post-assault trauma I might have faced,” she says. As per the law, Committees are required to provide the option of counselling to complainants.
There is a strong sense of frustration and anger in The Student’s voice, not just at Chaudhuri, but also at the slow, lumbering wheels of due process.
VI
Chaudhuri’s case is just one of many that are mismanaged by the very systems meant to see them through to justice. Despite being mandatory, ICCs remain dormant in Universities across the country, and the active ones are hardly sensitive to the plight of survivors.
Too often, Universities prefer to exploit procedural loopholes in order to sweep these cases under the rug, instead of investigating them in a manner that befits the complicated nature of sexual harassment. Official protocols lack empathy, and fail to recognise that victims have more to lose in reporting harassment than those accused of it. This is especially true when the accused is a professor or popular student.
Recent incidents at Jadavpur University, Jindal Law School, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University and Daulat Ram College are all testament to the nature and extent of the problem.
Compare this with Cambridge University, which recently admitted to receiving 173 complaints of harassment in nine months via an anonymous system. Further west, Columbia University is taking active measures to understand the structural nature of gender-violence on campus. It’s obvious we have a lot of catching up to do here at home.
One way of dealing with this poor state of affairs in the meanwhile lies in unconventional methods of resistance, like the List of Sexual Harassers in Academia (#LoSHA), crowd-sourced, verified and published in October 2017 by 24-year-old student lawyer and activist, Raya Sarkar.
‘The List’, borne out of apathy with the status quo, accuses more than 60 Indian academics of sexual harassment, based on claims by students whose identities have been protected. LoSHA sends a pretty clear message: the problem is more endemic than we think. It is less of a kangaroo court than a warning light; a signal fire to the machinations of due process that it is about time they catch up.
A dozen professors mentioned featured in #LoSHA belong to Jadavpur University, more than any other in the country. No action has been initiated against any of them by the new ICC.
The author is a city reporter who covers Gurugram for Hindustan Times. You can follow him on Twitter @analog_glory.
The post was originally published on the author’s Medium account.
On May 26, 2018, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released the class 12 board exams results. The internet has been flooded with pictures, articles, memes of Meghna Srivastava, the student from Step By Step in Noida who scored a 499 on 500.
I caught up with Meghna over the telephone and we chatted for 20 minutes about what she likes to study, her Netflix habits, what led her to choose humanities in class 11, and more.
Rajkanya Mahapatra: The last 24 hours must have been very busy. Everyone in the country knows your name – thanks to the media and the internet. What are the most bizarre questions you’ve been asked so far?
Meghna Srivastava: They asked me, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ And I was like, are you expecting a 17-year-old to know what she wants to do in life?
‘How many hours did you study?’ has got to be one of the weirdest questions I’ve been asked. Even after saying that I didn’t count, the same question was asked to me again and again.
They also asked me, ‘where did you lose that one mark? Are you feeling bad that you lost that one mark?’ I felt really weird. I said, ‘listen, I don’t think I can complain when I got a 499!’
RM: How did you come to choose humanities in Class 11 over science and commerce?
MS: In class 10, I got 10 CGPA, and it was a little confusing for me. My school never said that I couldn’t take up a particular stream but I knew I could do well in all streams. It was really tough for me to make that decision. You might’ve read it in the newspapers, that I liked reading Malcolm Gladwell. I read a book of his called ‘The Outliers’ and I really liked it. Somehow I really found it inspiring and it helped me make a decision. Humanities had the subjects that I wanted to study. It was as simple as that.
This whole conversation about science and commerce never happened in my house. I was lucky to have parents who were cool and trusted me. I’ve been pretty independent for most of my school life. So I was given that freedom and space to make these decisions.
RM: What were the subjects you studied?
MS: I had History, Geography, Psychology and Economics. When I finalised on the subject combination in class 11, I was told it was a very strange one. I wanted to study psychology because my mom had done it and I got interested. I would look into the work she was doing, the books she read, etc.
Also, my school put psychology and math in the same band, so I could only choose one. That was a big decision for me. There was a lot of pressure. People were like, ‘Maths nahi logi?’, ‘How will you manage in the future?’, ‘Psych toh tum UG mein bhi padh sakti ho lekin maths achcha backup hoga’ and that was the time when I got really flaky.
Then I realised, that’s the jump I have to take and I am glad I took it because now I am very sure I want to study psychology in the future.
RM: Were there any specific bits that you enjoyed studying more than the others?
MS: CBSE books aren’t the best because it’s very theoretical but 12th-grade psychology is great. I liked the chapter on personality a lot. I liked social cognition and group processes. I found it very relatable. You can see these things around you and that’s probably what got me really curious about it. I also found Freud really interesting.
History in class 11 is very messy because it’s world history and there isn’t a proper timeline. But history in class 12 was amazing, especially modern history. I was lucky enough to have a history teacher who had the ability to suddenly make you love the subject. She never stuck to just the books.
RM: So, where are you headed next? Have you started shortlisting colleges?
MS: So, no DU for me. Delhi University was never the plan. I had applied to colleges in the US, Canada, and in India, I had applied to Ashoka University. Because if I decided to stay here, I wanted to go to Ashoka. Now I am headed to the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
RM: Have you come to terms with the fact that you’re the all India CBSE Topper?
MS: For me, it has not sunk in yet. My parents, friends and relatives are really happy, really proud. I feel really normal. I still don’t know what’s happening.
RM: Let’s get to the board exams. In the bytes to several media houses, you mentioned studying through the year and being a consistent student, could you take me through that journey ?
MS: By the time I got to the study leave, which was in February, I had already done every chapter in every subject at least four times. We have class tests, half yearly exams, and pre-board exams. It’s because of the number of tests you take that you get really comfortable with the content. The last month before the board exams is when you go over everything once more. CBSE is all about repetition. You need to know your content because anything can become a question.
I was asked what my hobbies were. I think you expect the CBSE topper to be really studious, right? Academics were my priority but I made sure I had other stuff to do, and that’s where Netflix came in. I never counted the number of hours I studied. If someday I decided to do Micro, it didn’t matter how long it took. It could take an hour or 12 hours but I’d finish it and then chill. It was as simple as that.
Some of my friends would get up at seven in the morning to study, some would get up at 5 am to revise before the exam. But I wanted a good night’s sleep and I wanted to get up and go give the exam. I decided not to open the books in the morning. That was my approach to it. Different things work out for different people. People just need to trust their process. It’s as simple as that.
RM: You mentioned watching Netflix during breaks. What are you watching on Netflix these days?
MS: I am a hardcore Netflix binge-watcher. I watch everything. I finished watching The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and now I am watching Gilmore Girls.
RM: Did you have a strategy to score well?
MS: Being a consistent student, I had high achievement needs. I knew I want to do well in the boards and that was the aim. I don’t think anybody studies with the mindset of topping a town or the country. That just happened.
I wanted to score the most in Psychology because I wanted my college to know that I have a flair for it (psychology), and this is the subject I wanted to study. I just wanted to give it my best. Of course, I wanted to score well, and I don’t think there’s anybody who doesn’t.
RM: Apart from the umpteen number of news articles and images, there are also memes on you on the internet. What do you have to say about that?
MS: The memes have lent the results some humour. I like it. I want AIB to make memes on me. I want Buzzfeed articles. I love the memes. I think it’s every kid’s dream to be a meme and I became one! I have no complaints.
However, I don’t like the fake accounts that are being made on social media. I didn’t enjoy yesterday at all because there was way too much media and they were all in my face, and I didn’t like it. I don’t enjoy the limelight.
RM: What does scoring 499 mean to you?
MS: The marks don’t matter so much. How I prepared, and my method is what matters to me. Since I applied to colleges in other countries, the application season began in October and November and deadlines went up till January. Pre-boards happen in January. So time management was key. At the beginning of class 12, I knew I had to manage time well. There was no other option.
My cousins who study abroad and mentored me through the process had advised me to get done with my SATs in class 11, take the TOEFL exam during the summer break. So, I did all of that. That process is what led to the 499.
RM: What do you have to say about the stigma that’s around choosing humanities in our country?
MS: With the results this year, I think, we’ve shown how it works. I understand the importance of science and commerce, but humanities is the need of the hour, isn’t it? You want people to think, you want people to form their opinions, and all of that happens when you’re studying humanities because you’re questioning everything. I’d definitely encourage students to take humanities.
RM: What advise would you give those taking their boards exams next year?
MS: It’s really not that big a deal. I understand that it’s an important exam especially for those who’re aiming at universities like DU. I understand it’s extremely competitive. However, don’t let it get to you because it won’t do you any good.
A village woman in the hills of Noney in Manipur carries a cane basket ‘Kah’ on her head, collects vegetables and fruits from her farm or forest to sell in the main market on National Highway 37 and earns a petty income to support her family. Women walk long distances for their livelihood activities, to visit the hospital, school, market or medical store. The number of households having their own private car or two-wheeler is less. There is no facility of public transport in this hill district of Manipur which has a population of close to 37,000 barring a few private autos that run on the highway but no commendable transportation linking villages located up in the hills to the main market, the district headquarters or health facilities. Additionally, the condition of roads, in areas where people have no other means but to walk, is exceptionally bad with sharp stones and rocks and not a sign of tar topping anywhere. The private transport available only for a little patch on the main road offers no significant relief to women.
A woman heading out to work in Noney.
‘Breaking the Silence’, a global campaign works on raising awareness on menstruation and best hygiene practices in remote parts of India. It interacted with several women in its outreach program in Noney District with an objective of understanding barriers here. A woman complained of pain in the neck, back and legs from carrying a full basket for long distances on foot. The Medical Officer at the Primary Health Centre pointed out that majority of the OPD cases are dominated by women, though the exact underlying reason is not ascertained. Most of the medical complaints among women patients are related to excessive physical activity like back pain, knee pain and joint pain. White discharge and itchiness are common hygiene related complaints.
From the many interactions with community, health and medical personnel, there is reason to believe that lack of public transportation in Noney is affecting the health and morbidity of women, limiting their access to opportunity and income, medical facilities and emergency services, rendering undue stress from this forced hardship and affecting their productivity.
In times of delivery, it becomes very difficult for families of pregnant women to rush her to the PHC. While the Health Department advocates for an institutional delivery, if there is no transportation and good roads, how can such goals be achieved? In other parts of India, the state governments run call centre-based ambulance services, toll-free helplines 108 and 102 to provide free ambulance pick up and drop service to pregnant women linking public healthcare to the remotest villages of India under the National Health Mission and Department of Health and Family Welfare. 108 ambulance service aims to reach patients in rural parts within 40 minutes and bring them to the nearest health facility. Even sanitary pads distributed in government hospitals after a delivery and by ASHAs to girls and women in villages are not known in this region, nor are similar government relief policies visible.
Villages do not have medical stores and little shops selling few essential household items do not sell sanitary napkins. Sanitary napkins are only found in the medical stores and pharmacies numbering less than ten, located in the main market. Mostly girls and women come to buy these sanitary napkins, so the pharmacist wraps it in a newspaper to help shy customers. The most popular brands are Stayfree for its low cost and Whisper for its absorbency and anti-leak technology. Few Chinese brands are also popular including Magnetic Energy Anion Sanitary Napkins and AiRiz Active Oxygen and Negative Ion Soft Cotton Sanitary Napkins. Though priced much higher than Indian brands (close to Rs.200 per pack), the foreign manufacturers claim to provide relief from menstrual cramps, infections, itchiness and foul smell. The government needs to have mechanisms to verify how safe these products are and promote affordable and safe products only.
Without good transportation mechanism, access to sanitary materials and medical consultation and treatment are limited considerably. Mechanisms to assess and ensure the safety, affordability, accessibility and availability of sanitary napkins and materials in the market needs to be in place so girls and women are not exposed to danger and other medical complications from poor quality products and can buy and use sanitary napkins with ease.
Awareness of other sanitary materials other than cloth and pads like tampons, menstrual cups, eco-friendly bio-degradable sanitary pads or reusable cloth pads is low. The biology of menstruation and correlation to vitality, health and ability to give birth is not understood by a majority of girls and women. Girls and women seek clarity on diet during periods for reducing weakness or menstrual cramps, they ask us not taking a bath or washing hair during periods was scientific and good for health, or for a remedy for itchiness and skin infections.
The most common complaints we’ve head from them are itchiness, irregular periods, low volume blood flow during menstruation, menstrual cramps and skin infections. The cause of skin infection is due a lack of personal hygiene and ignorance. These problems are seldom shared with mothers or teachers and the extent of silence is so profound that young girls seek medical solutions in pharmacies and with quacks, and rarely with adults known to them.
A trained nurse, Amona Kamei who runs Gaza Pharmacy in Noney bazaar, shares her observation that young girls do not even have basic hygiene knowledge of taking bath daily, using soap to wash hands and that wearing washed and clean undergarments can go a long way in avoiding skin infections. Another pharmacist, S.K Aneiliu, runs Highway Medical and advocates for frequent sanitary napkin change to avoid infections to buyers.
A stream running through the village.
What is most ironic is the water scarcity experienced by the community in Noney, despite receiving high rainfall and having rivers like Ijei (Agah in Rongmei/Kabui dialect), Iril(Aling in Rongmei dialect) and Leimatak(Apin in Rongmei dialect). Households do not receive tap water and there are no significant water reservoirs. People connect pipes to brooks which bring water either to a common point in the village for the entire habitation or to a few homes, since this is a private arrangement to secure water and not by the government. Additionally, this water is untreated and does not offer uninterrupted supply when brooks dry up in the lean season. The electricity supply is erratic and power cuts last not less than a week. The impact of this on productivity, small-scale industry and the quality of life is obvious.
70 years of independence and yet, a tribal community in northeastern region of India still awaits water supply, electricity, roads and transportation in Noney district in Manipur.
Left on its own to find a way, the tribal community composed of the Kabui tribe, Chiru, Kuki and Inpuimei has found solace in the Church which plays an important part in not just spiritual growth of its people but offers humanitarian service in education, health, relief, youth and women empowerment and infrastructure. Besides that, the ancestors and elderly still guide community decisions with their age-old wisdom. An old woman from a remote village Rangkhung(Langkhong) Part-1 said, “I can identify which tribe a person, be it a woman or a man, comes from by their smell. Each has its own diet and smell.”
In the hill district of Noney where several tribal communities live, that which has experienced decades of armed conflict but is naturally endowed, menstrual hygiene is possible only if the government of Manipur makes pucca roads connecting villages to district headquarters, organizes public transport like minibuses or autos, builds water reservoirs and water treatment and distribution mechanisms, hydel projects in either Noney or Tamenglong to address electricity deficit, assesses the affordability and quality of available sanitary napkins and encourages safe products for its young girls and women.
Noney(Longmai) khou gong louna kagan gansak aniu goi le bam incham louna aniu tong rianra khatni kalam thai lou the. Thuanku the.
But, as I grew up to understand the gender politics of cinema, I realised that our celebration of these heroes is lesser to do with their stardom and more about masculinities. Our real-life imagery of these stars is tinted with the spillover of this ‘heroism’ from their films. They become our messiahs, our crusaders for justice. And so, it comes as no surprise that Tamil Nadu has had a slew of male actors turned politicians right from MGR (in whose shadow Jayalalithaa ascended into politics) to Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan. These people want to capitalize on their ‘hero’ image.
Which is why, when social media was abuzz with the impending release of “Mahanati” (pronounced Mahaa-nut-ee, meaning great actress), a Telugu biopic on the legendary actress Savitri, I was excited, and yet, had my own reservations about this movie. This obviously was quite a risky subject for director Nag Ashwin to pick as his second film, right after his debut, a brilliantly made “Yevade Subramanyam”. And to be honest, I, like many people of my generation, have had only a minimal glimpse of her as an actress – she peaked as a star during the 50s and 60s, and passed away way back in 1981. The only movies in her rich repertoire that I have managed to watch were her superb performances in the unparalleled mythological fantasy “Mayabazar” (1957), and “Mooga Manasulu” (1963), a reincarnation saga.
Also, when I learnt that Keerthy Suresh was essaying the legend’s role, I was a little apprehensive, considering the fact that her earlier movies were never really memorable, and did not extract her acting capabilities. Nonetheless, after watching the teaser, my interest was piqued. My parents would always praise Savitri as a brilliant artist who could communicate and emote even the most subtle emotions effortlessly. And then, there were always these discussions about her tumultuous personal life – her secret wedding with the already married Gemini Ganesan, her rise to dizzying heights of stardom, and her plunge into penury because of a tempestuous marriage and financial cheating by her close aides. Even till date, one discusses her miserable alcoholism and death after 19 months of a diabetes-induced coma. Her life story was the stuff that tragedies are made of. Everyone knew that even this movie, being a biopic, would have to end with her downfall and death. The denouement was obvious. The linearity of her descent is discernable.
But still, there was something about this movie that attracted me, and its audio launch stood out for me for many reasons. Assembled at the function were male descendants of legendary actors – repeatedly being referred to as ‘heirs’ – who had obviously used their heavy surnames/caste to make a mark for themselves as heroes in movies. It is an open fact that nepotism is rampant in the Telugu film industry. But here, I watched these ‘heirs’ showering praises on Savitri gaaru’s craft rather than harping about her beauty. Having watched audio launches of many movies earlier where, in the dearth of meaty roles for women, female actresses are praised only for their beauty, while male ‘heirs’ are hailed for all the effort that they have put into the film, the speeches at this audio launch were music to my ears. It also served as a reminder about an era in Telugu cinema where art took precedence. All of that came back when the makers and guests praised the efforts that the leading lady of the biopic, Keerthy Suresh had put into bringing the legendary actor back to life on screen.
And yet, when I watched the movie, I got to know that Savitri had soared to the greatest of heights as an actor and star in her own right. This movie had to tread the tough path of balancing the factual realities of her professional life, along with the severely contested ones about her personal life. She was a headstrong woman who sought to disprove anyone who told her that she couldn’t do something, and she stood shoulder to shoulder with the topmost male actors of her time – NT Ramarao and A Nageshwar Rao. And that she artistically challenged every artist she worked with, because they had to work to keep up with the immense talent and skill she brought before the camera. All of these were intertwined into the narrative, set in 1981, with the backdrop of two journalists probing into her story when she is in a coma. Her personal life – the whirlwind love affair with Gemini Ganesan, her palatial house and royal lifestyle, replete with goldsmiths at her disposal, and penchant for cars and racing, and her eventual downfall – were all shown with the right proportions of drama and fiction. The roles of the young journalists Madhuravani (Samantha Akkineni) and Vijay Antony (Vijay Deverakonda), and their pursuit of her story in the film are symbolic of why the younger generation must know and learn about her life.
Along with these nuances, subtle feminist messages – like the one where Madhuravani, while reflecting on the rift between a more successful Savitri and her husband Gemini Ganesan (whose jealously manifests because of his dwindling career) rants to Vijay Antony about why men have a problem when their wives are more successful than them – establish a conversation with the audience. In that sense, “Mahanati” becomes a reflexive viewing experience. We are not merely watching the factual story of a legendary actress unfold – we are being told to think about her talent and motivation that propelled her to success and the gender politics of how society always wants to exploit financially independent women who become the archetypical ‘golden goose’.
We understand that Savitri was financially exploited by her close aides, her altruism and largesse were taken advantage of, and her drinking habit (it is Gemini Ganesan who introduces her to liquor), eventually taking a toll on her health. Amidst this interplay of facts and drama, there is not one moment where we feel sermonized, and the movie does not shove messages down our throat with philosophical musings about life, or the right way to live. “Mahanati” Savitri’s life was an open book. Nag Ashwin does not attempt to change that. Which is why I noticed that the vast cross-section of audiences in the theatre, walked out with different emotions – some were in tears, some were happy and proud, while others remained dumbstruck. “Mahanati” only revokes the personal connection that the audience had with her as her fans, sympathizers, or admirers, and does not attempt to iron out factual creases.
And this is exactly what makes “Mahanati” an evergreen classic. There were so many ways in which this movie could have gone wrong. It could have been the cathartic antidote to cinema’s obsession with masculinity and glorified Savitri’s femininity, womanhood, or motherhood for that matter, because she never stopped acting after marriage or motherhood. But Nag Ashwin steers clear of these problematic representations. We see Savitri, by then a skilled driver and automobile enthusiast, challenged by a man about how she cannot race in such an advanced car. She accepts the challenge, and we get a glimpse of her pressing on the accelerator with her feet clad with toe rings (a sign of being married), and emerging victorious in the race with élan.
Even when Madhuravani is making important decisions, we see her mother and maternal grandmother always supporting her, or just present in the background, standing behind her not physically, but also symbolically as she eventually begins to stand up for herself. In another scene, a loyal servant reads out to Savitri about critics dissing her for her weight gain. She is shown sitting casually with a plate of laddoos on her lap, and munching on them nonchalantly. During her peak, she is shown beating up a man who is asking aspiring actresses for favours outside a studio. She directs a film with an all-women crew. The beauty is in these details, and for the audience to make whatever they want of it.
For this kind of movie, that must pique the interest of the younger generation while rekindling the older generation’s nostalgia, it was necessary that the technical crew delivered- and they did so beautifully. The cinematography, music, sets, and costume are pitch perfect. And, what can one write about the lead actor, Keerthy Suresh? She had to reconcile imitating Savitri’s classic songs and scenes, with bringing in the legend’s persona, and yet shine as an actor herself. It would have been so easy to be gimmicky. Yet, Keerthy’s success as an actor in this movie lies in bringing in the traces of her own craft and qualitative internalization of the role. She deserves every bit of the praise for carrying the entire movie on her able shoulders, which would have otherwise fallen flat.
It took me two times of watching “Mahanati” to absorb its cinematic brilliance. And even though it has been a while since I watched it for the second time, I want to watch it again. I want the fascination of seeing a woman being celebrated on screen for her professional life, and the way she carried herself in real life through her trials and tribulations. I want to watch “Mahanati” again because it is not a celebration of perfection, but a celebration of living with the consequences of what is defined as mistakes. It is a celebration not of what is established as right and wrong, but standing up for what one believes in – which makes it relevant for every epoch. Every time I walk past my alma mater on Habibullah Road, it feels surreal, knowing that day after day, I walked into a school that was in such close proximity to this legend’s residence. I had goosebumps when the title Mahanati appeared on screen with an imposing background score, and at that moment, I felt fulfilled. It is no more only a Rajinikanth film, but even that of an actress that can stir me in the same way, if not more.
This article is an effort to show the reality of the so-called ‘susashan’ in Bihar and its bitter impact on the healthcare system, which demands immediate intervention to make sure public expenditure is being properly allocated.
This visit was undertaken by me as an anonymous visitor. The information mentioned below was the result of seven visits to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in 2017.
Day 1 and 2: The Emergency Ward
Patients were seen lying on both sides of the corridor pathway. Few were on the ground and a few on the hospital bed. The saline bottles were seen hanging with the support of electrical wire in the ward. A Patient with oxygen mask was seen lying down without a bed. Two families were even seen quarrelling over the hospital bed.
Day 3: The Orthopedics Ward
A middle-aged woman from Buxar was found waiting for 14 days for the operation of her left leg which was put on hold by doctors. The reason was that the bed on which operation was supposed to take place happen was broken.
Ranjan Kumar, a resident of West Champaran, was in PMCH for his mother’s treatment. He was disappointed by the lack of basic amenities like toilet, water, food, etc. The attitude of the hospital staff and the doctors were also among his reasons for dissatisfaction.
Day 4: The Burn Ward
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) had an unimaginable view. It had no restriction or time-based entry system. It had six patients. Patients had their acquaintances along with them without any preventive measures against infection. They just had a mosquito net as their body cover.
Day 5: The Pediatrics Ward
The pediatric ward is under constant visit from doctors and nurses but lacks sufficient space. The bed arrangement for children is a bit chaotic which can easily lead to transmission of infections. This ward did not have any waiting area for visitors.
Day 6: Overview Of Basic Amenities
The water and food supply are lacking. There are only two water filters with just one in working condition. To fetch water is to be part of a long queue which often leads to chaos and quarrels.
The food provided to patients by the hospital management is without protection. The food container does not have any cover and is passed around in different wards on a hospital bed.
There is no canteen for visitors or acquaintances of patients. Acquaintances of patients prepare food by themselves sitting beside an open drain in a sewage area.
There is an open space near the main entrance of the hospital with water taps. This space is used by both men and women for taking a bath. The worst part is the people who use this space for taking a bath need to pay ₹10 to a private vendor.
Day 7: Interaction With Visitors, Vendors And Security Personnel
I interacted with several people who were either visitors or acquaintances of patients, vendors and security guards. The first and most common concern was the scarcity of hospital beds. Incidents of quarrel among needy people are commonplace.
I had an audio-visual interaction with three acquaintances of patients from East and West Champaran. Their main complaint was the unavailability of medicine within the premises of PMCH. They were compelled to purchase medicines from private medicine shops, thus increasing their economic burden.
The owner of a small shop just beside the exit door of PMCH expressed his concern about the hospital. His experience of eight years revealed a depressing truth. In reply to a question as to whether he will opt for treatment at PMCH or not, he refused, saying, “This place has put many lives in risk, all those who are poor and are from unstable economic background come to PMCH in compulsion.”
The same was repeated by the security guard of an SBI ATM near the hospital. In simple words, he said, “Only economically weak people come to PMCH keeping their lives at risk. I never saw a VVIP or any rich person coming to Bihar’s largest government hospital.”
There is no waiting area inside the hospital premises. The same is the case with the Pediatrics building. Visitors sit in the open air under a tree irrespective of any weather condition.
A state with rapid GDP growth is poor when it comes to basic healthcare. The majority of the population cannot afford private healthcare and thereby risk their lives by getting treated at places like PMCH, Patna.
In FY 2016-17, Bihar attained the highest GDP% among all states but the condition of healthcare in the state is dire.
Even according to RBI reports, the allocated funds to the Bihar government have not been utilised by elected representatives of the state.
Chart 6 clearly shows the undermined status of the state’s healthcare. The correlation of GSDP and healthcare is negative. Even if the budget allocation for healthcare has risen in a couple of years, the bad condition of a government hospital remains unchanged.
In a decade, the reality could have been better under Nitish Kumar. His desperation to be in power as Chief Minister has led to the ‘susashan’ model failing to fulfil the basic requirements of people.
The Bihar Health Minister, Mr Mangal Pandey, can afford to pass his time in Karnataka to help out his party. This so-called ‘development’ ridicules basic needs of the people of Bihar. Is this not a questionable kind of ‘development’?
Our grievance is justifiable as without good health and effective healthcare, how could we imagine prosperity?
Saurav Kumar is an activist for education and health, Bihar. He can be reached at kumarsaurav1890@gmail.com.
Maybe one day, governments will try to do the hard thing rather than play to the galleries.
I am quite happy with the present government’s stand on a number of issues. However, it is the abnormal concessions that exasperate. Dealing with public pressure gives you varied scenarios. For example – not bowing to public pressure might be a sign of a strong government that shall not be bullied due to the ills of populism, or, just someone who won’t listen respectively. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government displayed both when it listened to the concerns of small businesses by easing the compliance requirements for filing GST returns, but, still seems to fall on deaf ears regarding rolling back excise duty on petroleum products or to bring it within the ambit of GST, despite enjoying unanimous majority, on the GST Council.
The recent news that the President will promulgate an ordinance to put the Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention Against Atrocities) Act, 1989 into the Ninth Schedule is an example that falls into the latter category. The SC/ST Act was ‘diluted’, as some repeatedly claim, by the Supreme Court by removing the denial of anticipatory bail and removing automatic arrests of the accused on the single complaint of the victim.
Bad Idea or Good Strategy?
The SC/ST Act of 1989 is re-packaged legislation. The Act’s proverbial ancestor was the Untouchability Offences Act 1955, which was later seen to be lacking, and subsequently in 1976 became the Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act. Again the deficiency of law and order reforms were not addressed but rather, in this Act of 1989 – automatic arrests, denial of anticipatory bail (Section 18) and denial of probation (Section 19). In 2015, the Act was amended, based on the 2014 UPA Ordinance in March 2014, where the presumption of guilt by association (Section 8) was added.
The Ninth Schedule is a very convenient tool created by the Legislature. In the first-ever amendment to the Constitution, this schedule was made to bypass Article 13 which says – any law in violation of the Fundamental Rights shall be struck down. Any law put in the Ninth schedule can violate fundamental rights because it escapes judicial scrutiny by the courts. It was originally invented for land acquisition laws; it now includes laws on reservation (Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation policy even though the ceiling set by the Supreme Court is 50%) and laws on monopolies. All was well for the Legislature until a historic judgement in 2007 in the IR Coehlo Casepronounced all laws in the Ninth schedule, inserted after 23rd April 1973, i.e. the famous Kesavananda Bharati judgement will be open to judicial scrutiny.
Even before arguing on the merits of whether or not, there was a dilution, one thing is clear – even if the Central Government places the SC/ST Act in the Ninth Schedule, it shall not be given any blank cheque. There will still be judicial scrutiny and I do not think the Supreme Court will go back on its judgement, especially after, the Government’s review petition also failed.
The Centre has a bad idea if it intends to introduce an ordinance to put the SC/ST Act in the Ninth Schedule. Although, it might play as a good strategy, since the Centre will be perceived to be, fighting for the ‘rights’ of the marginalised communities. I do not doubt more qualified bureaucrats than I have told them the same, but, in terms of politics, this might play out exceptionally well, even if the Act gets struck down later. As the Centre is seen doing something, even though, it was to have no substantive effect anyway.
Can The Act Be Misused?
Yes. But the more important question is – is it?
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in 2016, 5,347 cases were found to be false for SCs and 912 were false for STs. Secondly, the high number of acquittals in the number of cases completed is staggering. According to the judgement, which takes its numbers from the Ministry of Social Justice, out of 15,638 cases decided by the courts, 11,024 cases resulted in acquittal or discharge, and 495 cases were withdrawn in 2015. The misuse of this law is apparent.
Now the argument might be that they are being coerced to withdraw those cases. Perhaps, the victim is being dissuaded in some way. The point then is, is it possible, that the victim may be the one doing the threatening? Is it possible that the victim’s image is not the poor, hapless rustic villager who has been a subject of brutalisation by a malicious upper caste person? The victim, as evidenced by the staggering amount of false cases, might be using this law to subjugate the accused himself. The personification of an SC/ST must not be a certain way. We do them and the law a disservice if we do. There are economically well-to-do SCs and STs, who, have the same power under this law as those who fit the ‘traditional’ image of an SC/ST.
Thirdly, similar to the judgement, I think it is absolutely ridiculous to take away a person’s liberty, which is guaranteed under Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty). Section 18 of the SC/ST Act says that Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 will not apply. Section 438 grants anticipatory bail, i.e. when a person thinks he might be arrested, he can apply for bail. You are prohibiting the accused to be treated equally against accused in other cases. Can the SC/ST Act continue despite denying them equal protection of laws (Article 14)? I do admit that where unequals and equals are treated differently, Article 14 goes out of the window. But that must be based on a reasonable criteria. Is it reasonable to expect that SC/STs will always be right 100% of the time? Is it not true that presumption of innocence is present in the Indian criminal procedure? That there must be a fair, just and reasonable procedure before someone’s liberty under Article 21 is taken away? That a unilateral claim cannot take superiority over a Fundamental Right? That a one-sided complaint can make someone, without being heard, go to prison?
There are several laws where Section 438 is not applicable, but, even if there is no case prima facie, can you still deny them anticipatory bail? When so many false cases have come out, it might mean that it is time to recognise a defect in the Act.
Another claim is that since cases are increasing, this judgement impacts on the successful resolution of those cases. That somehow, this judgement is hindering the completion of these cases. When the Act was ‘undiluted’, the conviction rate was 25.7% for SCs and 20.8% for STs in 2016. The Act wasn’t doing much to be ‘diluted’ from. In India, the number of cases increasing does not imply the number of incidents has increased since our country is grossly famous for our under-reportage of cases, similar to rape incidents. It might mean that more people are actually coming forward to register cases. It might not. The problem is why are there under-reporting of cases? Addressing that might start to answer some problems.
Real Solutions
Much like the death penalty for rapists not being a good deterrent, these provisions are not the solution. Before jumping to the last stage of a criminal procedure – conviction, the whole procedure must be improved to give confidence to the genuine victims of atrocities to come forward and file cases.
Firstly, sanctioning the vacancies in the police. We have about 5.3 lakh vacancies in all state police forces. Ensuring that there is an adequate number of law enforcement to properly investigate cases is necessary. This is where the states must lead from the front.
Secondly, investment in forensic units is a must, and here, funds from the Centre will be of utmost use. In serious crimes such as rapes, forensic evidence, up to a maximum of 72 hours must be collected. Investment in forensic units and for trained people to operate them is necessary for heinous crimes. I hope that the Central Government leads from the front on this as this comes under police modernisation.
Thirdly, moving away from law and order reforms, to bring different communities closer, an emphasis on welfare especially in education is prudent. To bring a more uniform society which is on the same level, educationally, bridges certain differences borne out of one’s birth. Increased literacy also brings about an ability to recognise one’s rights and to move away from the backward ills of caste.
Fourthly, digitisation of land records. This is because according to the Governmenta major cause for atrocities is land disputes. Digitisation improves access to records and clarity in terms of ownership of land.
Of course, the most important change is changing mindsets. This is not done through laws but reforming society as a whole, and to that, I am afraid, it is less about policy and more about sociological factors which play in.
This is not some ‘privilege’ talking or an inability to relate to the people who are subjected to the atrocities. This is an analysis of a persistent policy problem that will not go away no matter the amount of times it is repackaged. This judgment has recognised that jailing people on the words of the victim goes against a fair, just and reasonable process. I do acknowledge incidents such as Una. However, the right way to deal with that is not this. The corrective measures must be focused on are not easy, unlike putting this Act in the Ninth Schedule.
I do understand that Article 17 is why the law was brought on, but, it must not forget the existence of its colleagues, i.e. Article 14, Article 21 and even Article 32 (right to constitutional remedy). The law must be a means to an end, rather than an end itself to fight the horrible systemic threats to SCs and STs. It is not by targeting non-SCs/STs but via a long process of social change. I am happy that this judgement has ensured that an extreme one-sided approach does not bode well for India.
India will benefit if governments can start addressing the hard things.
देश तमाम मुद्दों और चुनौतियों के बाद भी लगातार आगे बढ़ रहा है, ऐसा मानने वाले लोग ज़रा रूककर सोचे, क्या देश सचमुच आगे ही बढ़ रहा है ? कोई यह सब क्यों सोचेगा? जब लोगों के मन में यह बैठा दिया गया है कि देश नहीं धर्म खतरे में है। और यह वही लोग हैं, जो कभी कहते हैं कि देश, धर्म से भी पहले आता है।हां पहले है, हमें तो कही नहीं दिखता, अगर ऐसा होता तो देश के उन नागरिकों का सम्मान किया जाता जो देशहित की बात करते हैं। जी हां, मैं बात कर रहा हूं उन पत्रकारों की जो आज भी निडर होकर पत्रकारिता करते हैं। वह बिकते नहीं बल्कि सौदों में हुए घोटालों की बात करते हैं।
ताज़ा मामला एनडीटीवी के पत्रकार रवीश कुमार को जान से मारने की धमकी का है। यह वही पत्रकार हैं, जिसकी वजह से आज शायद 50% लोग समाचार चैनल देखते हैं। धमकियां तो पत्रकारिता में मिलती ही रहती हैं, हमें भी मिलती है, लेकिन अभी जान से मारने की धमकी नहीं मिली।
हद है, इस देश के उस पढ़े-लिखे वर्ग की, जो मुद्दों और समस्याओं को नहीं समझते, इनमें खासकर मेरा तात्पर्य उन युवाओं से है, जो क्रांति लाने की बात तो करते हैं, लेकिन क्रांति के तरीकों को नहीं अपनाते। इन्ही बेरोज़गार युवाओं के पक्षधर रवीश कुमार ने हाल ही में नौकरी सीरीज़ पर बहुत से एपिसोड किये, प्रशासन से लेकर सरकारें तक सतर्क हुईं। लेकिन ऐसे में सरकार की नज़र में रवीश कुमार फिर से खटकने लगे।
सरकार की नीतियों में कमी को उजागर करना ही पत्रकारिता का कर्तव्य है अब इसको भक्तगण दुश्मनी समझकर रवीश को ठिकाने लगाने की धमकी दे रहे हैं। यह इनकी समझ को दर्शाता है और व्यक्त करता है कि यह केवल भक्त नहीं है, अंधभक्त है। जिनकी आंखों पर उस धर्म का पर्दा डाल दिया गया है, जिसकी रक्षा भक्तों को नही स्वयं ईश्वर को करनी है।
सभी को पता है कि इराक में क्या हो रहा है, अबु बकर अल बगदादी ने जिस आतंक की नीव इस्लाम के खतरे में होने पर रखी थी, आज वह खुद विश्व की नफरत का पर्याय बन गया है।
ठीक उसी की तर्ज़ पर भारत के कुछ लोग चलना चाहते हैं। यहां लोकतंत्र है इसका मतलब यह नहीं कि कोई भी किसी को धमकी दे सकता है। ऐसे मामलों को केंद्र सरकार का अनदेखा करना गलत है। इससे केवल सरकारों का फायदा है जबकि सभ्य समाज अंधकार की और जा रहा है।
इसके साथ ही सरकार या किसी अन्य राजनीतिक दल से प्रेम भावना दिखाने वाले उन पत्रकारों को भी चाहिए कि अपने व्यक्तिगत फायदों को त्याग कर ऐसी घटनाओं, धमकियों का खुलकर विरोध करें, साथ ही सम्बंधित विभाग को घेरे। जिससे कि आने वाले वक्त में एक निष्पक्ष पत्रकारिता का स्तर तैयार हो सके। जब तक यह सुनश्चित नहीं होगा कि पत्रकारिता निष्पक्ष हो, तब तक कितने ही पत्रकारों को धमकी या मौत मिलती रहेगी।
देश के समाज को भी गंभीरता से हर मुद्दे और विवाद पर सोचना चाहिए क्योंकि जिस धार्मिक खतरे को बताकर आपको मुद्दों से भटकाया जाता है वास्तव में वह धर्म खतरे में नहीं खुद आप खतरे में हैं और अपना यह देश खतरे में है। क्या आप और हमसब मिलकर इन धार्मिक षड्यंत्रों से नहीं निपट सकते। यह हमें ही सोचना होगा और जल्दी ही कोई समाधान ढूंढना होगा, जिससे कि धार्मिक उन्माद फैलाने वालों को सबक सिखाया जा सके।
The majority of the public discourse around a ‘compromised’ media in India is centred around the recent Cobrapost sting operations which were released last week. However, what seems to be less under the radar of both the Indian media and the public is how the present Government of India may be attempting to keep a look out for the social media communications which take place amongst users and utilise that information for its own interests.
Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited, a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has invited bids for controlling the ‘Social Media Communication Hub’.
What Exactly Is The ‘Social Media Communication Hub’?
It is the creation of a social media monitoring system which can “...collect Digital media chatter from all Core Social Media Platforms as well as digital platforms like news, blogs and forums…” It is expected to ‘listen and respond’ to social media websites such as Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc.
The tool is also expected to have enough infiltration into the internet and social media so that it can analyse the trends which emerge and ‘gauge the sentiments among the netizens’.
The bid also states, “… the tool should have the capacity to provide inputs to the Ministry on how to improve the reach of various social media campaigns, how to make a particular topic trending and for the overall general improvement of social media campaigns.”
Based on whatever has been written on the tender, the Indian government seems to be looking at a technology which can harvest online information available on social media which can help them in pursuing their own interests.
Recently, both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress came under a barrage of criticism for allegedly using the services of Cambridge Analytica, a voter-profiling enterprise which unlawfully harvested the information of over 50 million users in the USA for helping its clients win elections in 2014.
What Cambridge Analytica largely engages in is the analysis of voter preferences and reaching out to them through personalised messages to make sure that they are likelier to vote for their clients.
If the government is able to harness such valuable data from social media through such a tool, the fear of it misusing it for various purposes, including electoral, is always omnipresent.
The tool is also expected to make some ‘predictive analysis’ such as:
1. “How could nationalistic feelings be inculcated in the masses.”
The government has been both praised and criticised from various quarters for being fiercely nationalistic in rhetoric. Many experts point out that the central government’s brand of nationalism is very Hindu-centric and that it creates a feeling of alienation amongst people belonging to minority religious communities, especially the Muslims.
2. “How could the media blitzkrieg of ‘India’s adversaries’ be predicted and replied/neutralised.”
It is not very clear based on the tender who ‘India’s adversaries’ here are. Is it referring to foreign media which may be critical of something the government may not agree with? Or is it a reference to the Indian media? Ever since the current dispensation came to power, many media houses have been labelled as ‘anti-national’ on social media for having targeted the Narendra Modi led government at the Centre negatively. Or could it be referring to both?
3. “How could the social media and internet news/discussions be given a positive slant for India.”
What does it mean by a ‘positive slant for India’. It is not particularly very clear.
However, based on whatever is written in the tender which has been floated it doesn’t just seem to be targeting the social media communication of Indians or the Indian media. It also seems to aim to be attempting to put its fingerprints in the global arena for an image-building exercise. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi frequently travels abroad and has been closely examined by the international media ever since he came to power in May 2014, it does seem to be a well thought out move.
Keeping A Check On Happenings Abroad
The ‘predictive analysis’ of the tool should also be able to be able to gauge the following related to happenings abroad:
1. “What would be the headlines and breaking news of various channels and newspapers across the globe.” The bid also states that all this could be done with ‘knowledge about their leanings, business deals, investors, their country policies, sentiment of their population, etc’. The examples of media houses given are New York Times, The Economist and The Times.
2. “What would be the global perception due to such headlines and breaking news.”
Interestingly, The New York Times and The Economist have been extremely critical of the Narendra Modi government. The New York Times editorials have been particularly critical of the Narendra Modi led government at the Centre.
A New York Times editorial in April 2018 titled ‘Modi’s Long Silence as Women in India Are Attacked’, attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his silence on the rape and murder of 8-year-old Bakarwal Muslim girl. The girl was abducted, gang-rape and murdered in the month of January in Kathua, Jammu. Influential members of the Bharatiya Janata Party had come out in support of the accused by demanding their release. After much public outrage and media coverage in the month of April, Narendra Modi finally said, “I want to assure the country that no culprit will be spared, complete justice will be done. Our daughters will definitely get justice.”
In another editorial by the The New York Times on March 23, 2017, titled ‘Mr Modi’s Perilious Embrace of Hindu Extremists’ it had criticised the elevation of Hindutva hardliner Yogi Adityanath to the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in the same month. The editorial ended with the line, “The move is a shocking rebuke to religious minorities, and a sign that cold political calculations ahead of national elections in 2019 have led to Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party to believe that nothing stands in the way of realizing its long-held dream of transforming a secular republic into the Hindu state.”
There have other editorials criticising the Narendra Modi government at the Centre in The New York Times as well.
In an article in The Economist published on June 24, 2017, titled ‘India’s prime minister is not as much of a reformer as he seems’, it had criticised both ‘demonetisation’ and the Goods and Services Tax (GST), along with the Hindu nationalism that Narendra Modi has been promoting.
In another article in The Economist titled ‘India’s prime minister focuses too much on appearances’ it had again been very critical of both demonetisation and GST, criticised the BJP’s Hindutva agenda of the Uttar Pradesh government, amongst other things.
It must also be kept in mind that Narendra Modi has a huge fan following amongst the non-resident Indian community and the people of Indian origin residing in the United State of America, Canada, Australia, United Arab Emirates, etc. Every time he visits a foreign country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ends up addressing large crowds comprising of people belonging to the Indian diaspora.
When he had addressed the Indian community at the Madison Square Garden in New York in September 2014, around 19,000 people had turned up to cheer for him. Narendra Modi has successfully drawn large crowds when he has visited countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, United Arab Emirates, etc. ever since he became India’s Prime Minister.
The Tool Should Be Able To Identify ‘Fake News’
The tool is also expected to identify ‘fake news’, with a particular focus on such conversations on social media and ‘specialised’ websites.
The Narendra Modi government has also been accused by both opposition and various journalists of having muzzled press freedom ever since it came to power in May 2014. India’s current ranking in the World Press Freedom Index is 138. Last week, a sting operation conducted by media website called Cobrapost revealed that media managers of organisations such as the Times of India, Hindustan Times, Zee News, India Today, etc. were compromised as they were willing to showcase Hindutva advertorials in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections for large sums of money.
In April 2018, the Union Ministry of information and broadcasting had announced that the journalists guilty of having broadcasted or written ‘fake news’ would either lose their accreditation with the Press Information Bureau either permanently or have it suspended temporarily. There was a lot of backlash against this on social media. The very next day the move was withdrawn after orders from the Prime Minister’s Office.
It is not entirely clear how the ‘social media communication hub’ will be tracking users’ online communication and how it is intended to be utilised by the Government of India. However, based on whatever is written in the tender inviting proposals for the job, it does seem a bit alarming.
In Bihar’s Purnea district, an “invisible doctor” is slowly bringing about a medical revolution in maternal healthcare. For 22-year-old Sonam Devi from Purnea, who belongs to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, access to basic health care facilities was becoming a huge challenge. But, a comforting voice over the phone has provided a much-needed medical relief. “Raat me khaane ke baad sone se pehle iron ki goli khaani chahiye, Anganwadi me registration karwaye Dr. Anita kebaad(For example, I learnt about taking iron supplements at night, and got myself registered at the Anganwadi after listening to Dr Anita),” This, says Devi, was information no one in her family knew before.
But Dr Anita Devi, who seems to have changed Sonam’s life, and an entire village’s attitude towards healthcare isn’t a real doctor. She is just a voice on an interactive response-based mobile service called Mobile Kunji, delivered by BBC media action, that delivers easily comprehensible messages. The messages have assisted dozens of women in Purnea in adopting healthy practices around childbirth and pregnancy.
Mina Soren from Kasba of Purnea district is one of the many women, living below the poverty line, who are benefitting from this service developed by BBC Media Action. “6 mahine tak bachche ko stanpaan karana hai (Need to breastfeed the child for the first 6 months)”, says the 21-year-old. Soren, who only sees her husband once in four months, feels much more confident about her impending pregnancy, thanks to the friendly voice on the phone.
Harnessing the power of technology, services like Mobile Kunji, have, in fact, revolutionized access to healthcare services for a huge majority of Indians, who live in rural or remote areas.
The reasons for the deficit in access may be varied. Sometimes, people are too poor to pay for the medical service, since 70 percent of India’s population is not covered by any health insurance or scheme. If they can pay, the desired service is too far away. If the provider is nearby, the quality of service offered isn’t good. At other times, there just isn’t quality information about the care or where they can get it at an affordable price. Out-of-pocket expenses account for a major share of the financial burden of patients in India such that more than 52% of out-of-pocket expenses are made towards purchasing medicines. The yet to be launched National Health Protection Mission also does little to address this aspect.
A service like Mobile Kunji was launched just to make a community health worker’s impact more effective in remote rural areas. Now, a health worker doesn’t have to depend on her memory to do his/her job. She carries a deck of cards (the kunji or key) which has illustrations, key messages, and a code, which when dialled, brings the voice of a fictional Dr Anita Devi to life for both the worker and the mother.
“Pehle log to nahi hi jaanti hai aise 6 mahine ka baalak khaana khaati hai chahe aur kuch bhi karti hai. To doctorni Anita Devi ki awaaz aayi to usi hissab se hum log karte hain. Ye baat ab bade log bhi mante hain (Earlier, people didn’t know that a 6-month-old eats or does anything else. When we hear Dr Anita Devi’s voice, we act accordingly. Now, elders too accept this (the message from the community health worker),” says Sunita Devi, another beneficiary of this app.
The Kunji is part of the Ananya programme in Bihar run by the state government, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners since 2012, and has also been rolled out in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, 115,000 health workers across 28 districts have been introduced to it, and 48 million minutes of its content has been played.
A number of such similar technology-based medical solutions are being availed by patients to improve their access to basic health care facilities. Phoola Devi, from Valmiki Basti, Central Delhi, benefited from a similar programme called mMitra, run by a non-profit organization, ARMMAN. This is also an IVR-based service, where a registered user can get voice messages related to preventive care and interventions that reduce maternal and infant mortality.
“There were so many things that we were doing wrong. For instance, I was only feeding my baby with Cerelac. mMitra informed me that it is essential to give baby semisolid food as well,” Phoola Devi says.
Last-Mile Connectivity And Low-Cost Healthcare
60-year-old Sarala Khamrui has a different kind of problem. She lives in Chak Ananta village of Debra block in West Midnapore district of West Bengal. According to the 2011 census, the village has no sub-centre, primary health centre (PHC), or community health centre (CHC).
Until two and a half years ago, that meant Khamrui chose to visit quacks, instead of doctors, for minor ailments. “They used to charge me ₹500. Including everything, it used to be more than Rs. 500 sometimes,” she says. For any ailment that the quacks couldn’t cure, she had to travel to a hospital 20-25 kilometres away. Now Khamrui can get healthcare delivered to her doorstep, and that too at a drastically reduced cost of ₹30 to ₹50.
The organisation operates on a ‘hub-and-spoke’ model. Each spoke clinic, which has general practitioners, is connected to a hub clinic which provides specialist doctors and pathology tests. To make specialists available in hubs, iKure uses a video-conferencing facility apart from doctors who are physically present. A consultation with the GP costs the end-beneficiary ₹30, and a consultation with a specialist through video-conferencing costs ₹50. There are also discounts offered on medicines.
In Odisha’s Purusottampur sub-district in Ganjam, the problems are similar. Purusottampur town has one government health centre with one doctor for a population of 15,400, according to the 2011 census. The sub-districts’ villages too have only one CHC, no PHC, and 15 sub-centres for a population of 1,44,503.
For 28-year-old Sanjay Panda, who runs a shop in Purosottampur town, this meant that he had to travel 35 kilometres to Berhampur for consultations as the doctor at the town’s only health centre isn’t available daily, and there are long queues there. “If I went to the capital (Bhubaneswar), the round trip, food, and other things would all add up to ₹1000,” he says.
The only earning member in his family of four, Panda makes only about ₹8,000 a month, with which he takes care of his father, mother, and a younger sibling. So getting treated outside Purusottampur would hurt him. Now, a clinic run by a startup called HealthBot is just 15 minutes away on foot from his residence.
Like iKure, HealthBot also uses a cloud-based platform to connect doctors, pathology labs. But so far it uses technology largely to provide specialised care in remote areas. It has set up two clinics in Ganjam district since December 2017, where specialists are available through video-conferencing. The cost of an average consultation is ₹150. Panda first visited the clinic for Herpes, where the general practitioner referred him to a doctor who provided him consultation through a video-conferencing facility available at the clinic.
India Hasn’t Reached That Stage, But We Have Started Work
The Indian government too has now understood that it needs to use technology to reach people where health workers can’t. And the Centre for Health Informatics, which manages the “National Health Portal” has now started working in this direction.
“You will find different verticals there, whether it be a healthy lifestyle, disease conditions, the nearest hospital, or professional announcements,” says Ankit Tripathi, who is the Additional Director of the centre.
Most technology-based solutions in the market are catered to bridging the gap between doctors and patients in remote rural areas. For instance, WHP’s Althea system empowers a village facilitator to measure blood pressure, pulse, temperature, blood sugar, blood count, among other things, for patients such that one can generate a possible diagnosis for a doctor. The system works with a 2G or a higher network.
Voice web applications have similarly been launched to help the majority of Indians in rural areas who don’t have internet access. According to the Internet and Mobile Association of India, by December 2017, only 186 million of an estimated 918 million people living in rural areas had access to the internet.
“The people in rural areas don’t have laptops. If they buy a mobile phone, it will be an old model which doesn’t connect to the internet,” Tripathi says. “So whatever content was available was put up on an automated voice response system, accessed through a toll-free number. Because if we hire an agent, it will cost us, and the government has also to gauge whether the scheme will burden it.” A toll-free number called m-Cessation, for example, provides counselling to tobacco users.
Tripathi adds that the government is also looking into transactional aspects, such as digital records of treatment history. “India hasn’t reached that stage yet, but we have started work on it. We are looking to improve the quality of our service first. Then with that, we will also have to build the infrastructure,” he said.
Back in school (during the 90s), I was thin and average looking. During the initial phase I used to feel very awkward because I did not possess strong grammar skills whereas my then best friend was a classic orator. At that time, body and looks did not matter as much as being known for all the right reasons did. I admired my friend and aspired to talk as confidently as him. Over the years, I tried to overcome my fear by participating in various activities. To a certain extent, I would say I was successful in doing it and people did start taking a note of me. I had achieved what I wanted to, was confident and was quite amiable, but right during that time, some of the teachers started to comment on my body.
It first happened in the school’s corridor that was full of people. In a not so low tone, a teacher commented “You seem to have put on weight, start working out.” I was taken aback for a moment. I started thinking how important my body was to them and why! And this coming from one of the highly respected teachers was very strange. But it kept happening over and over again. My focus then shifted from the uproar of board exams to how to lose weight.
That was when I had first learnt the concept of ‘commenting on other’s body just like that’. When I was just a mere 17-year-old and yes I used to be ‘thin’.
“When will you start exercising?” “How come you became so fat?” “How much have you been eating of late?” “Wear this when you have a body to flaunt.” These were the things people said to me. “Don’t eat this” also became pretty common in the last three or four years when I put on weight due to a number of reasons best known to me. Yes, best known to me! But you know how the ‘outsider’s eye’ is a self-proclaimed scanner. People perceive your “body” like it’s their right to inspect you from top to bottom every time they happen to see you, and slyly make a comment. I won’t say that I have been a part of severe “body shaming”, but yes, I was definitely judged on how my BMI is overwhelming and I should bring it back to ‘normal’. All the constant judging and bickering made me lose my self-confidence in many ways. Before meeting anyone or just casually heading out, I started to doubt myself as to how I look. And this soon turned into a habit.
I hear about and personally know people who have medical issues like thyroid, PCOD and the likes and hence they are unable to reduce that fat irrespective of right eating habits and exercise routines. No doubt, there are people who are genuinely concerned about health and want to help but that genuine worry somewhere gets lost when most part of the world is anything but genuine. The latter does not know what the other person is going through, does not know what is happening with them, to them and how they are coping. In my opinion some ridiculous mentalities only think that remarking is all that it takes, as if the other person would suddenly turn into an hourglass figure right there! They do not bother about “just one more mental damage” that they have drilled into the receiver’s soul and mind.
I have seen people, or rather unfortunately have had the chance of meeting such people, whose conversations are only about how one should get those extra kilos off, how one should not eat much (read: starve themselves). And mind you, these are not the people who themselves have chiseled 6-pack abs or muscle bulging out of their shirts. As unlucky as it may sound, these people are my distant relatives who I do not wish to see or meet ever after a few such incidents.
One incident happened at a family function, where everyone was enjoying themselves and letting lose, and so was I. Suddenly, this middle aged relative of mine (I wish he reads this article and it drills some sense into him) walks up to me. I exactly knew what he wanted to say, and I suddenly got into the defensive mode even before he could walk closer.
“Hi Fatty! When do you plan to shed those kilos?”
“Umm, when I feel like it.” (Well done, Aarushi! The self-defence mode seemed to work on its own)
“Aren’t you going to be joining college soon?” (I was just about to join my post grad college in a month’s time from then)
“Yes, so what’s the relation?”
“Are you going to pay for two flight tickets only for yourself, ’cause you’ll surely not fit onto one seat! HAHAHA!” (I mean WTF! Where do they get such creatively hideous things to talk about?)
“Yeah, I love traveling with extra space.” (Still going strong with self-defence, am I?)
“That won’t be extra space my dear, it’ll be the space you need to fit yourself into. HAHAHA!”
THAT WAS IT. I could not continue. I sheepishly smiled and went off.
I went to the loo with tears in my eyes right in the middle of a huge family function. My brother had witnessed this incident from a distance and he followed me. I didn’t want to talk to anyone right then and “create a scene” so I decided to quickly do a touch up and get back. But as soon as I came out, I saw my brother and his calming looks.
He just said one line, “Don’t bother, he is crazy!”
At this point, I couldn’t control myself and burst out into tears with abuses and curses choking my throat (literally!). My sister in law and my mother joined in and I narrated the whole incident, catching my breath between heavy crying. Within seconds, I caught hold of myself. The whole function for me was spent in really avoiding that man. It’s been two years and I have intentionally ensured that I do not encounter him ever again.
It’s dangerous how it is simply “funny” for such people to make remarks about another person. People who haven’t gone through that phase actually might not know what it feels like to be fat or chubby. Also, it is astonishing how some ‘fit’ or ‘thin’ people look down on you. And the moment you start working out or start reducing inches, you suddenly become their best friends and they have so much to talk to you about. They start quoting you as examples to everyone who does not meet the ‘body type standards’ that they have very conveniently set for you. Suddenly, it’s all good from there. (Haha! Well done, such people!)
I feel that the whole idea of being a particular body type is also built up stereotypically because of what is portrayed in the media. I may have not come across many movies or films that support a healthy looking actor in the lead without any brouhaha. I respect that actors like Huma Qureshi and Vidya Balan have been really bold to stand up for what they consider is right. But on the heavier side of the plate, it has always been a perfectly toned physique (which we call a ‘summer body’ or a ‘size zero’) that mattered, and that is what people want to see. I at times wonder what if a plump girl like me wants to act and be an actor without changing her body? What if chubby girls also signed up for lead roles, or, you know, just became the face of any so called social appearances?
It breaks my heart to read stories from people I spoke to. One person said:
“I was body-shamed. And by who? My now ex-boyfriend. It crushed me from inside. I feel bad for putting up with it with a smile and simply ignoring it. I have been body-shamed by my relatives. Like their only business is to watch my weight. They will always notice a plus 0.5 kilo gain, but never a minus 5. Hated every bit of it.”
Another person was told, “Bhaago mat, earthquake aajayega bhai (Dude, don’t run, there will be an earthquake).”
Over the years, I have become this really under-confident girl who is jealous of thin people and detest the way I look. I used to think that being size zero and skinny is the best thing in the world. I longed to wear the so called body-fitting clothes that, in my opinion, only thin people wore. However, little did I know of what the so called ‘thin’ people undergo. I spoke to a few underweight individuals and their stories are no different. This is what they were told:
“You’re such a stick, will you be able to lift utensils when you get married?”
“Massage your breasts to make them fuller, before you’re married.”
“Does your mother not give you food?”
And “Hava chal rahi hai, tum ud jaaoge (There’s a wind blowing, you’ll go flying).” No, this is not a joke!
Only when I spoke to my family and friends, I learnt that even being thin is also not easy!
And just to break some typecasting a little more here, body-shaming is not just with two X chromosomes but also with the X and Y (and people other gender identities too!). I know guys who have been called out at, shamed for walking in a certain way, for being a certain color, and for being a certain height. Some were told “So FAT, who will marry you?” and “Are you carrying a family pack instead of a 6-pack?”
I just wish more boys spoke about this and how they felt. Through this article I wish to not only encourage people and give them strength but also to let the body shame-rs know that these taunts hurt really badly and more than that it is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
So many movements, groups, and seminars came up regarding body-shaming, but one movement that certainly touched my heart (or rather biased-ly touched my heart) is the #IPledgeToBeMe movement, since I adore the creator (or I’ll say I am crazily in love with this personality!), my most favourite YouTuber, Prajakta Koli. She created this video with a self-sung song called “Shameless” wherein she enacted how the whole society judges you on various parameters. How one should not care and definitely be shameless.
My immediate family (read: nuclear) has been very supportive and thankfully never questioned my weight or looks. I am literally one of those people who hates dressing up. My idea of a make up is just eye liner and lip gloss. I know people might think that how can immediate family ever question you but believe me, there are individuals who didn’t want to stay at home with their parents since their parents only kept taking away their mental peace, leave alone the society.
One woman was told “When I dumped my boyfriend and he married another girl in around 6 months time, my mom’s first question was ‘Is she slim?’”
Talking about personal inspirations, there is this one person in this whole wide world who has despite all odds and being on the wrong side of the weighing scale since childhood, managed to inspire me with every passing day! This person is a survivor of severe body shaming despite being a national level Bharatnatyam dancer and a great badminton player, back in the day. This individual that I am quoting here is one of the most hardworking, the most positive, the most thankful-to-god person I know. And one of the very well renowned professionals in our city. She is my mother! Being ‘fat’, as we all call it, never came in her way of living life, enjoying life and being such a happy-go-lucky person! In fact, she would make fun of herself before others could even try. I am inspired by her but I am not strong enough just yet to not care about the societal stigma.
For me, “Log kya kahenge?” or “Woh kya bolega?” has been a serious disease that I am unable to recover from. There was this one time when I hated looking into the mirror, hated the fact that I was not super fair and hated who I was. I don’t know why but I always needed societal approval. I know it’s wrong but I am still unable to get rid of it. (Sigh!)
However just to get my confidence back, I realised that I would be able to do that only when I loved my body. To love my body, I need to feel healthy and not have any societal baggage in my head. I started working out and managed to feel healthy, both physically and most importantly mentally, if not shed enough kilos that can bring me a few ‘compliments’ like “Oh you lost weight!”
I only wish I can continue to do so to feel healthy and confident once again, to be able to get over the very serious build up of “Log kya kahenge?” in my own head. I feel that it will take some time for me to really be shameless in order to stop getting hurt and bullied!
But if we (everyone reading this article) stop judging the person on the other side, on the basis of their make, build, and color, things would definitely change for the better!
#NoneOfYourBusiness – is what it is! Let’s all pledge to spread the word and overcome body shaming.
What is media integrity? Media integrity refers to the ability of a news media outlet to serve the public interest and democratic process, making it resilient to institutional corruption within the media system.
The recently released sting, Operation 136 by Cobrapost reveals how 27 media organisations including Times of India, India Today, Hindustan Times, Zee News, Network 18, Star India, Paytm, and many more make you question whether the Indian media is fit to be seen as righteous and trustworthy.
A noticeable pattern across these media houses, corporates and publications can be seen. These are three of them.
No Hesitation To Engage In Black Money Transactions
Media houses are not only apathetic but also hypocritical about the use of black money. Applauding Modi for his demonetisation move seems to have gone to waste as most of these publications are entrenched in the illegal bank transaction system. They were ready to accept unaccounted cash. Senior manager Sanjoy Chatterjee of Zee News is caught saying:
“You see, there is no question [of GST] on the cash part. The client has to pay [GST] on the rest of the ₹12.5 crore [to be paid by cheque]. We will give you the deal. Ye jo humari jo deal banegi wo 12.5 crore ki deal banegi, usmein entitlement diya jayega aapko (We will prepare a deal on Rs. 12.5 crores, in which you will be given an entitlement) and accordingly, payment has to be made as full advance. Full advance means 12.5 [crore] which is 50 % is to be [paid] fully advance. That money will come from which account? Australian account?”
Their best buddies are Angadiyas or hawala operators who route cash to convert black money to white. They are found tutoring the undercover reporter (Pushp Sharma) on how to go about this endemic hush-hush process.
Intent To Spread Communal Disharmony
It is alarmingly evident in the tapes that they agreed to promote Hindutva in the garb of spiritualism and religious discourse. Publications show no reluctance in agreeing to publish overtly communal agendas and Hindutva propaganda.
The deputy manager of the Times group is more saffron than the undercover reporter himself when he agrees to start campaigns like ‘Love Jihad’ on the lines of the Vishva Hindu Parishad to charge people with communal feelings. Another manager is found saying that Times of India will facilitate their entry across educational institutions in Punjab. They will show the propaganda as a social cause, and it will be easy for Times of India to get a sanction to do these events in school. We see that most publications have good grip not only over the political class but also over the election bureaucracy.
Intent To Favour A Particular Political Party In Eections
The reporter’s demand as the elections approach, was that media houses target opposition leaders, namely Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, caricaturing them using less than dignified language like “Pappu”, “Bua” and “Babua”, respectively, and character assassinating them in order to show them in poor light before the electorate. Not only did they agree to publish such material but also lend editorial and creative services for it.
Hindustan Times’ deputy manager is quoted as saying “Dekhiye hum jab Hindutva ke agenda ko lekar nikle hain toh by hook or by crook kaam humara hona hain. Dekhiye lekin agar aap 2017 ka chunav aap dekhe to BJP ko jitna jyaada humne support kiya Hindustan ko kiya…main manata hoon ki Shashi Shekharji ne bahut achchha support BJP ko unhone is chunav mein kiya (Look, when we take out the Hindutva agenda, then by hook or by crook our work has to be done. But if you look at the 2017 election, the amount of support we gave to the BJP… I agree that Shashi Shekhar supported the BJP in the elections).”
An Indigo FM’s official says “Our chairman is also [a] Hindutva guy … Rajeev Chandrasekhar.” He tells us that the BJP MP is a “big follower of Modi” who owns Asianet News Network and Suvarna News channel. He Acknowledges that they are already doing what their client is looking for the party in question. Sangh keeps on supporting [the BJP]. We also support it. We all also belong to the same side. Then our editor, Ravi Hegde, is also on their side.”
Another house agrees to bar campaigns of rival parties to be aired on their stations. “Yes, that is there. If we are able to block the road, then we can do something like that because when there will be no space available to run any more campaigns, then.”
Some other senior executives of these media houses agreed to package content in such a manner that shows the events of deaths of Kar Sevaks in police firing at Ayodhya, and then the Godhra train fire to fan communal passions as a build-up to 2019 elections. “Nowhere should Hindutva be diluted in our campaign,” met with a crisp “Haan vo toh hai.”
All but two media houses run by the motto ‘make as much profit as possible to keep the investors happy’. They do not distinguish between advertorials and editorials as most content that’s paid for is run as regular news. In all the tapes we see Pushp Sharma (the undercover reporter) interviewing management teams who have more control over what gets published. They are the decision makers. Is this what journalism is? As Vineet Jain (the Time’s Group managing director) puts it, “We are not in the newspaper business, we are in the advertising business.”
So, does the Indian Media has any substance of value in its publications?
It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was in the middle of a session on menstrual health when everyone burst out laughing. I was conducting a session with eight to ten adolescent Santali girls in the backyard of social worker’s house, in Deoghar, Jharkhand. I was trying to find narrations of first periods where Fulmoni, a 14-year-old girl declared that she thought ‘a leech had gone inside her vagina’. She narrated how she spent those five days of her life feeling scared and confused. While some in attendance laughed, and others teased her, the statement left me with a lot of anxiety.
I have been working with these young, tribal and Dalit girls on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights for the past five years and I am shocked at how little they know about menstrual hygiene, even now. What I realized while working with the Adivasi girls of the Santhal pargana in Jharkhand, was that Fulmoni was not alone. Several young girls in Jharkhand experience their first period with similar fear.
Jharkhand is one of India’s poorest states and is one of the most vulnerable, ranking 16 out of 17 in the Indian Hunger Index. 52% of girls get married before their 18th birthday in Jharkhand. Yet, it is surprising that there are blocks under Pakur, Sahibganj and Chaibasa (West Singhbhum) that have zero or very few programmes on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights for adolescents and youth, hosted by any non-governmental organizations. On the other hand, government programs are far from uniformly spreading the beneficiary schemes across the last corners of the village boundaries.
Lack of knowledge about menstrual hygiene leads to several myths and misconceptions about periods and severely affects these girls both emotionally and physically. I want these girls in Jharkhand to have access to knowledge and services on menstrual hygiene. Recently, I have started an online petition at Change.org, asking the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation of Jharkhand to ensure that young girls in remote communities of the state are provided with mandatory knowledge and services on menstrual hygiene in the Anganwadis. This may include brochures and posters with information on menstruation, availability of biodegradable pads and cloth pads, iron tablets and monthly checkups for anaemia.
The state already has a strong network of Anganwadi workers, who provide information on health and nutrition to women in villages. However, most of the Anganwadi workers are not trained to talk about menstruation and have no tangible material (like brochures, posters etc.) to pass accurate information to these girls. A report by UNICEF in 2015 claims that 67% of the state’s school teachers and 62% of frontline health workers are unaware about the cause of menstrual cycle and believe it is a mechanism to reduce body heat. The young girls that I have interacted with in Chaibasa and Pakur never had any discussions or sessions around menstruation in their community. The Anganwadi workers only distribute iron tablets to the girls on Village Health and Nutrition Days, and that too inconsistently.
The Central Government, under the flagship of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, promised to bring Comprehensive Sanitation and Hygiene amongst people in rural India since 2014. Given this initiative, the question is – what has been the training mechanism for Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)?
There is an immediate need to facilitate proper training of Anganwadi workers on knowledge and practice of Menstrual Hygiene Management and promote mandatory monthly sessions in the Anganwadi. This should be followed by a mechanism to monitor the impact of the adolescent program run by Anganwadis on menstrual hygiene in the communities.
Since 2016, Jharkhand has funded ₹25 crores to promote menstrual hygiene among school girls, by distributing free sanitary napkins. However, there is little importance towards the disposal mechanism of these pads. During focus group discussions, young girls shared that they threw the pads either in the village ponds when they go to wash themselves or they throw them in open spaces. If these girls are not told about menstruation, how to use a sanitary napkin and how often to change it, if they have no idea about how to keep themselves clean during their periods or on disposal mechanisms that keep their environment clean, then these free sanitary napkins will not serve their intended purpose.
It is also important to question what the State’s regular outreach mechanism to all schools across Jharkhand has been. There are several schools that have not received regular sanitary pads over time. Given that 52% of girls get married before their 18th birthday, how are school dropout rates monitored amongst girls, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that knowledge and services on menstrual hygiene are provided before they leave school? Girls who drop out of school suffer the most as they have no agencies left to help them deal with their menstrual health. They not only miss out on the knowledge but also on services available in schools. Furthermore, my petition asks the Jharkhand Government to publish an audit report on the outcome and impact of Menstrual Hygiene Management by the Public Health Engineering Department in Jharkhand. Additionally, the petition requests for an Impact Report to be made available, to inform the public on the expenses and the outreach to rural schools with the 25 crores sanctioned under 2015-16 and 2016-17 fiscal plan.
Despite several policies and mechanisms in place, young girls at the grassroots level are still struggling for basic hygiene.
It’s time we know the right facts. It’s time we intervene responsibly. It’s time all girls in rural communities of Jharkhand get access to the right information on menstrual hygiene. If you resonate with this cause, do support my petition.
With the advancement of technology, our government should increase the maximum bar to get an abortion from 20 weeks to 24 weeks. Doctors say that it is completely safe to abort a baby before 24 weeks. 
Villages do not have medical stores and little shops selling few essential household items do not sell sanitary napkins. Sanitary napkins are only found in the medical stores and pharmacies numbering less than ten, located in the main market. Mostly girls and women come to buy these sanitary napkins, so the pharmacist wraps it in a newspaper to help shy customers. The most popular brands are Stayfree for its low cost and Whisper for its absorbency and anti-leak technology. Few Chinese brands are also popular including Magnetic Energy Anion Sanitary Napkins and AiRiz Active Oxygen and Negative Ion Soft Cotton Sanitary Napkins. Though priced much higher than Indian brands (close to Rs.200 per pack), the foreign manufacturers claim to provide relief from menstrual cramps, infections, itchiness and foul smell. The government needs to have mechanisms to verify how safe these products are and promote affordable and safe products only.
The food provided to patients by the hospital management is without protection. The food container does not have any cover and is passed around in different wards on a hospital bed.
I hear about and personally know people who have medical issues like thyroid, PCOD and the likes and hence they are unable to reduce that fat irrespective of right eating habits and exercise routines. No doubt, there are people who are genuinely concerned about health and want to help but that genuine worry somewhere gets lost when most part of the world is anything but genuine. The latter does not know what the other person is going through, does not know what is happening with them, to them and how they are coping. In my opinion some ridiculous mentalities only think that remarking is all that it takes, as if the other person would suddenly turn into an hourglass figure right there! They do not bother about “just one more mental damage” that they have drilled into the receiver’s soul and mind.
I just wish more boys spoke about this and how they felt. Through this article I wish to not only encourage people and give them strength but also to let the body shame-rs know that these taunts hurt really badly and more than that it is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
