इंडिया टुडे देखकर कुछ – कुछ होता है !

1. Tamasha & #653

   #653!!!!

   Yes, she is #653 of 2012.

   The girl fighting for life in Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi is 653rd rape victim of 2012. Whatever may be the circumstances, she did not deserve to be raped. All the 652 women, who faced similar treatment earlier, surely didn’t deserve it. And in response to such an incident all the news channels saw unprecedented fireworks. The outrage that is pouring from all walks of life is indicating that a breaking point has been reached. There is multitude in multiple voices. Yet, the message is clear, everyone wants decisive action.

   The sheer brutality of 653rd act of violence & rape has rendered the nation clueless. People do not know if they should pray to the almighty for her life or a quick death. Her condition is so bad that only a miracle would restore her normalcy. Her internal organs are completely disturbed and even dislocated. The nation is perturbed. There is a pal of gloom, as if mourning is about to begin. Even if she lives on, there is a cause to mourn the death of civility in our society.

   What we are witnessing is an epidemic of Dabang-giri that has taken roots in our society. The extremism practiced by us in past several decades has come back to mock us in our faces; as if telling us, “You’re powerless to tackle the outcome of your own past prejudiced practices”. Rape of women is only a symptom of a larger social evil of Dabang-giri that is so rampant in our society.

   The breaking point has come in respect of Indian society tolerating the Dabang-giri any further. Each successive act of Dabang-giri will be resisted and responded by members of public. Such is the writing on the wall.

   Reply

2. Different Strokes of Susan Ninan for different folks of Times

   We are watching pouring outrage over rapes in general and it may be just the right time to look at what goes into making of a rapist-

   First of all, not just one thing – yet a variety of things – in small doses – over a prolonged period – make a rapist come alive.

   Given such a background, let us look at the contribution media makes; probably in ignorance. I wish to quote a live example of an interview done Susan Ninan’s (TNN) from Chennai. She has interviewed 8th seed Serb, Novak Djokovic. The text may be found at-

   http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/interviews/It-is-not-easy-to-work-without-support-Janko-Tipsarevic/articleshow/17642791.cms

   The interesting part is the headline- “It’s not easy to work without support”; which is 100% true of any sporting achiever or for that matter achiever from any domain. Indore Edition of has shown the player kissing his wife. Nothing wrong with it. Yet something is bothersome. A young player, kissing a attractive female and headline like that gives an impression about the kind of support needed to succeed. No where in the interview published on page 14 (20-12-12) there is a mention of support provided by a women leave alone a particular women, his wife. The caption of the photograph reads- “Janko Tipsarevic plants a kiss on his wife after winning the doubles title in last year’s Chennai Open”. This jucie picture occupies some 20% area on the space taken by this item. It has little connection with the subject of interview except that it informs the readers- “This player has an attractive, young blond for a wife whom he may kiss in public and be sure of being flaunted all over the world.”

   Another interesting thing, the original interview by Susan Ninan on the aforesaid link bears a picture of the player alone gesturing while playing a game. the caption reads- “It is not easy to work without support: Janko Tipsarevic. While Novak Djokovic may be the best-known Serb in the tennis circuit, his compatriot Janko Tipsarevic is also a force to reckon with. (TOI Photo)”

   It is prerogative of a local editor to make his copy look better and a young player kissing an attractive and young blond adds the spice to the copy. And that such a picture may be somewhat ir-ralavant is the thing that troubles me in context of current outrage.

   I could not find an Internet link for Indore Edition of Times of India where this is published. Nor can I find that picture (on the Internet) which has appeared in paper today. If some one has got it, please add it your responses.

   I can not be absolutely sure that such reporting could in any way contribute into making of a rapist in the long run; yet I have a hunch that it does. Opinion of others on this group would be valuable in establishing it one way or the other.

   Reply

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