December 30, 2024

The shameful incident that took place in the Brigade Road/M G Road area of Bengaluru on New Year’s Eve could have been placed as one more such incident in a long list where Indian males show how depraved they are but for two things. Firstly, it was not one or two men attacking girls in one or two separate incidents on the heavily crowded road. A gang of several men – it is not clear whether they were operating as one gang or several unrelated groups who took ‘courage’ from one groups’ ‘success’ to attempt the attacks themselves, placed themselves ‘strategically’ and indulged in the cowardly acts. Eyewitnesses have related how several men were openly passing lewd remarks and groping passing women in the most shameful manner. Some eyewitnesses have called it “mass molestation.” Women were shocked. Some wept while trying to free themselves from their clutches while others and their companions took off footwear to take them on. Despite heavy police bandobast, this went on for a long time before the law enforcers made their presence felt. Still, the culprits were allowed to melt in the massive crowd. No spot arrests were made.

Secondly, which is even more shameful and added insult to injury and trauma, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara washed off his hands by saying such things happen. He ‘reminded’ people that the area was full of young men and women in “Western clothes” who were drunk. He also said that “western culture” is to blame for the incident. How long will politicians continue to abrogate their duty of providing protection to citizens and allow louts to molest women on streets by not making proper arrangements on just a few days of revelry in a year? If the crowd was becoming unmanageable, the police could have cordoned the area and not allowed further revelers. Citizens of Bengaluru can expect at least that much from their government. In another shocking statement Abu Azmi of the Samajwadi Party argued that if women, unaccompanied by male family members, mingle with other men, "it is wrong to expect them to treat her with respect” and “if there is sugar somewhere, ants will come."

What kind of statements are these people making? A woman, according to them, is easy game if she is alone, ‘improperly’ dressed and mingling with other men. Is the consent of the woman not deemed necessary for even talking to her, let alone touch her or molest her? Does a woman not have a choice as to her partner for having a good time? Or is she to be treated as a free commodity, to be ogled at, abused and molested by whichever lout or louts who lay their eyes on her? We have been talking about the rights of women to enter the sanctum sanctorum of temples and avoid triple talaq, among other things. But if the society continues to treat women in such dastardly manner, one thinks that we should first be discussing about ways and means to give them safe public spaces and a sense of security and well-being in moving about cities at all times for work and pleasure.

Crimes, as we all know, are said to be prevented by having laws that deter it. Laws, in turn, are enforced by an active and sensitive government backed by a police force that is sensitized for responding promptly to situations. Here we have the home minister of the state saying “such things happen.” Will it deter the criminals? Certainly not. The next time they will be out in greater force. You can deploy more than 1500 policemen, even 15000, but if they do not have a plan and are not sensitized, they will just stand there as props while women continue to get molested. Crowd management is tough job no doubt, but a crack police force is expected to do so efficiently. Police forces across the country should share information and expertise in this regard. For instance, the Kolkata Police is adept at managing huge crowds during Durga Puja. The same goes for Mumbai Police during Ganesh festival. Few incidents are reported during these times. Other police forces can learn from them. And what about onlookers and bystanders? If there was a huge crowd in the area that day, the molesters must have been few, perhaps less than 100. If they could gang up and indulge in “mass molestation,” why couldn’t the others gang up and chase them away? Didn’t they feel that the gang was molesting someone else then but could jump on to their partners next? The answer perhaps lies in the fact that most of us do not care as long as it is not happening to us. Uprightness, chivalry and bravery have become old fashioned clichés and do not find favour with the youth today. If even 20 young men had the courage to confront the louts, one is sure they would have beaten a retreat. Alas, that did not happen and Bengaluru got a black mark against its name.