Yesterday, when I woke up it was 7 Am. I walked into roads of Delhi and seen a group of young woman fighting for a cause and police started using their lathis on the flock. I immediately moved from that place went into a hotel for breakfast. There was a TV on the upper right corner of the cash counter showing News channels of India. After few minutes I was able to realize the cause and decided to join the ladies.
As soon as I finished my breakfast I joined a crowd which is moving towards Jantar Mantar Observatory. After walking about a kilometer I observed our procession is holding placards on which were written "Hang the rapists', 'Castrate all men', 'Stone them to death' etc. I believed, slowly I was able to understand the importance of the issue and the need for a protest.
Our procession completed another couple of kilometers and we're crossing a traffic junction. Traffic police stopped traffic till this march moves from that junction. One small girl used all her energy and came into our flock, she is having a dress half torn and holding a plate of coins. She stopped one of the young lady in the flock and said "Didi, Hungry!!" and further said "Please Didi! Please!". One after other are passing that girl and finally we moved our of that junction.
Now we reached, Parliament road and now it is a turn of a young woman with a child asking same like the kid and as usual she was ignored since it is a silent march. After few turns we are almost near Jantar Mantar. But Jantar Mantar is already occupied by some other protesters like unemployed and farmers. After sometime all of them understanding the situation moved away and finally we entered inside. I took a deep breath as we started sitting. One of the young lady next to me asked other do you remember the kid asking for money and food. Other said, yes and this is the country we live in. Another lady in the back row joined discussion and started saying "its okay we see all such people in Delhi here and there. In fact we see that everywhere in India." Another added "Ignore that, it is a business for them. Don't dive deep into it. She was not raped! We came for a great cause and a great change. Let us make this successful. "
By this time Sun is high and I shifted to other place where I found shade. Luckily, there was another discussion here about previous protesters fighting for unemployment. One lady added "Yes there was a telecast about this yesterday in news. A young man says, he is holding Master's Degree and ready to work even as an office Assistant so that he can survive." Now another girl cursed him for speaking such a trivial thing.
Now suddenly every one started running here and there throwing stones. I'm not sure what exactly is happening. In next few minutes, found that there is a lati charge on farmers who started blocking traffic outside Jantar Mantar and its effect came inside too. Finally, even permissions to our procession was canceled at this place and the flock leader decided to move to another place.
In this way the procession went on and on, with the processionists, who were shouting slogans against rape, being frequently accosted by persons who raised issues other than rape like skyrocketing prices, widespread child malnutrition, largescale farmers suicide, etc, whom they brushed aside with derision and ridicule, saying that you are raising trifling issues when the issue of rape was a matter of life and death for the human race.
After some time our processionists came across another group of women who had angrily blocked our path. "Please join us" said the processionists, "We are fighting for a common cause". "And what is that cause ?" asked the blockaders. The processionists said "Our cause is that we want people to forget poverty, price rise, healthcare, malnutrition, farmers suicide, etc and declare that the only issue in the world is rape".
"Do you even know the prices of vegetables which are touching the sky ? Do you even know how almost impossible it has become to feed our families ?", asked the blockaders. Some ladies, who appeared to be well fed and well dressed ladies, said "No".
As soon as I finished my breakfast I joined a crowd which is moving towards Jantar Mantar Observatory. After walking about a kilometer I observed our procession is holding placards on which were written "Hang the rapists', 'Castrate all men', 'Stone them to death' etc. I believed, slowly I was able to understand the importance of the issue and the need for a protest.
Our procession completed another couple of kilometers and we're crossing a traffic junction. Traffic police stopped traffic till this march moves from that junction. One small girl used all her energy and came into our flock, she is having a dress half torn and holding a plate of coins. She stopped one of the young lady in the flock and said "Didi, Hungry!!" and further said "Please Didi! Please!". One after other are passing that girl and finally we moved our of that junction.
Now we reached, Parliament road and now it is a turn of a young woman with a child asking same like the kid and as usual she was ignored since it is a silent march. After few turns we are almost near Jantar Mantar. But Jantar Mantar is already occupied by some other protesters like unemployed and farmers. After sometime all of them understanding the situation moved away and finally we entered inside. I took a deep breath as we started sitting. One of the young lady next to me asked other do you remember the kid asking for money and food. Other said, yes and this is the country we live in. Another lady in the back row joined discussion and started saying "its okay we see all such people in Delhi here and there. In fact we see that everywhere in India." Another added "Ignore that, it is a business for them. Don't dive deep into it. She was not raped! We came for a great cause and a great change. Let us make this successful. "
By this time Sun is high and I shifted to other place where I found shade. Luckily, there was another discussion here about previous protesters fighting for unemployment. One lady added "Yes there was a telecast about this yesterday in news. A young man says, he is holding Master's Degree and ready to work even as an office Assistant so that he can survive." Now another girl cursed him for speaking such a trivial thing.
Now suddenly every one started running here and there throwing stones. I'm not sure what exactly is happening. In next few minutes, found that there is a lati charge on farmers who started blocking traffic outside Jantar Mantar and its effect came inside too. Finally, even permissions to our procession was canceled at this place and the flock leader decided to move to another place.
In this way the procession went on and on, with the processionists, who were shouting slogans against rape, being frequently accosted by persons who raised issues other than rape like skyrocketing prices, widespread child malnutrition, largescale farmers suicide, etc, whom they brushed aside with derision and ridicule, saying that you are raising trifling issues when the issue of rape was a matter of life and death for the human race.
After some time our processionists came across another group of women who had angrily blocked our path. "Please join us" said the processionists, "We are fighting for a common cause". "And what is that cause ?" asked the blockaders. The processionists said "Our cause is that we want people to forget poverty, price rise, healthcare, malnutrition, farmers suicide, etc and declare that the only issue in the world is rape".
"Do you even know the prices of vegetables which are touching the sky ? Do you even know how almost impossible it has become to feed our families ?", asked the blockaders. Some ladies, who appeared to be well fed and well dressed ladies, said "No".
On hearing this the blockaders fell on the processionists with lathis, fisticuffs, etc, and this violance along with a phone call made me to wake up, and realize I was dreaming
Thanks to a friend for making her first post on a new blog :)
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