Of the offenders, by the offenders and for the offenders!

Nov 26
NabanitaDhar

My heart weeps and I wail from the deepest crevices within as I feel utterly helpless and vulnerable today. Really, is this the country that I was born in? Please oh please somebody tell me that I can dare to believe in this country of mine. Please oh pretty please tell me that all is still not lost!
Shining India is the country where Sonali Mukherjee was chastised with acid for standing up against scoundrels who fancied playing with her honour! A country where the perpetrators of that horrible crime were set free by our esteemed judiciary! I feel burdened by guilt for I cannot do anything to change the pain that girls like her go through every day. I feel responsible for not being able to do anything to put away men who commit such heinous acts against women! I can’t help but feel violated every time I read or see something like this.
Six years back due to an unfortunate incident in my hostel I had suffered burn injuries. It was painful and I endured for six months while those scars remain till today. If that was so hard for me; then I get goose bumps even imagining about Sonali’s plight!
I know I write articles regularly speaking about how unfair our society is towards women; perhaps repetitive; but what other option do I have? As I watched Sonali Mukherjee today in KBC, I was in awe of her strength. I cannot even imagine the sort of struggle she and her family would have gone through! Infact they still are!
Who should she blame; the men who were cowardly and gutless enough to consider that their manhood lay in destroying her life; the judiciary for failing so miserably or God for putting her through such pain? The ordeal that Sonali has been put through is so terrifying and bloodcurdling that today the sensation of hopelessness in me is deafening.
We live in the largest democracy they say; well I say its utter rubbish and outright hogwash! Our democracy is selective and comes into being to offer lawbreakers and touts a window to escape as in this case. It certainly isn’t of the people, by the people and for the people in India instead it is of the offenders, by the offenders and for the offenders! We live in a country where mockery of justice is a way of life!
A beautiful life was forever destroyed almost a decade back and the sad part is that the ones responsible for it still roam about freely in public. The offenders unfortunately have moved ahead in life while the victim still suffers to this day. After blatant massacre of humanity and justice; was it wrong for her to petition for euthanasia? Definitely not but I guess there are still people with morals alive who had come forward to help her with treatment and rehabilitation. Perhaps we just need a bit of jolting but we are still there to feel for others, aren’t we?
But the question in my mind is would that be enough? Who would give Sonali back a decade of her life lost? Who would give the peace of mind that her family had lost? Who would give back Sonali her mother’s sanity? Who would see to it that those three monsters are punished and punished in a manner that no man dares to ever come close to harming a woman?

I pity the mothers of those men; infact those mothers are not even worthy to be called women. They along with their families are banes to this society. If given a chance I would do anything to make sure that they beg for their lives to be taken away but are made to live in pain and grief.
Protecting our dignity is our right. I feel sorry for those men that feel coercion and force is a stamp of their manhood. The truth though is that such men are not even worth to be called eunuchs; perhaps they are even an insult to those. I had read somewhere that the most courageous act is to think and protect ourselves. Sonali was courageous, one of the bravest women I have ever seen or read about in my life. The three scum bags who thought that vandalizing Sonali with acid would let them take away her dignity must be told how wrong they were. Those morons didn’t realise that no amount of assault or cruelty could let them snatch a woman’s honour unless she surrenders it herself! I salute Sonali and I agree when she says she has no hope from judiciary or the Government. Nothing can reduce her pain or her agony; nobody can understand her mêlée. I could just hope that one day she gets better and leads a normal life in the future!

27 thoughts on “Of the offenders, by the offenders and for the offenders!”

  2. Totally agree with you…sometimes i feel we are living in the world of shame as we could not do anything against those who commit such heinous activities and roam freely as if they are padmashree award winners and those hapless women had to live entire life in disgrace…really pity on the country and it's policies…which can neither defend nor protect or even miserable in healing the wounds of those who suffered 🙁

  3. Great post. Change has to begin with us. Shows like this are helping us understand the extent of change that we need, as a society, to undergo. Truly a story of courage. Truly a story of shame.

  4. I awed by the courage Sonali has shown to stand up of herself and fight against injustice. Her relentless struggle might have not resulted in pushing the guilty behind the bars but has definitely made the world sit up and take notice. I hope it instills the same courage in other women of our society who take everything lying down, sometimes because of guilt and shame, sometimes because of lack of support. Kudos to KBC for bringing this issue on national platform.

  5. India Shinning is more of a marketing phrase than anything to do with real India. There are so many incidents which will prove that we are not at all shining. Very nicely written post. Thought provoking.

  6. A great post that shows the plight of women in India.You have expressed your thoughts beautifully.Hope Sonali has a brighter tomorrow.

  7. I hadnt seen the KBC episode that featured Sonali. I am so glad you wrote about it, to help me look further into what happened and hold the fire of injustice in my heart. Thanks Nabanita, this is how you are helping make change happen. I am glad for your post.

  9. I too have not seen the KBC episode, but your post has made me aware about Sonali Mukherjee.
    I wonder what punishment will be enough for the scumbags, may be nothing less than death.

  10. Hi Nabanita,

    It's my first time at your blog. This was a very powerful post and I enjoyed reading it.

    I'm looking forward to reading more of your posts. Thank you.

  11. Although I did not see this episode, I can say that the 3 men who did this must be given strict punishments asap.

    An example must be set so that anyone who considers of repeating such a ghastly act would get chills just thinking about it.

    About Sonali Mukherji, she has suffered for no fault of hers and we sincerely hope she leads a fulfilling life and she is beautiful as anyone who shows such courage always is 🙂

  12. I totally agree it might take quite a while for this country to mature and to understand the subtle power of the feminine.Only when we weed out such hidden evil in the society can we truly progress….I really connect with your post and share your anguish!
    Thank you…

  14. As long as the laws are lenient such crimes will continue, there has to be inhuman punishment for inhuman acts. I can only sympathise with human rights activists who plead that death sentences should be done away with

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