The mood of the Indian woman is angry and it is clear why it is so. Despite the plethora of words, millions of tears and lakhs of slogans commemorating or marking a turning point in our modern history, more than half of the urban Indian male populace still continues to cling on to the age old and redundant opinion of women not stepping out of their homes and hearths after dark.........
An overwhelming majority of such men display a marked propensity for self praise and flattery and prefer to call themselves "brutal realists". But, are these very same men brutal realists or just passive status quoists who have a vested interest in denying the Indian woman her due right to step out wherever and whenever she likes at a time of her choosing and the oft touted argument about the outdoor climes being anything but safe for women is just another myth conveniently propagated by men to side step their responsibility towards providing safety, security and succour to women.......
A nation wide survey conducted by India Today magazine a little over a fortnight ago threw up the following or below mentioned statistics and only serve to fortify the overwhelming sense of freedom from the chains and shackles imposed by a patriarchal and regressive society on it's fairer sex:.......
* an overwhelming majority of 87% of all the women polled said a resounding yes to the death penalty being made mandatory for all first time as well as serial rapists, only 10% of all the women respondents said a no to the death sentence.......
* 40% of all the women polled gave a thumbs down to the Delhi government's response to the anti rape protests in the capital and termed it "BAD", 30% of the women polled felt that the response of the government of the day was unduly "HARSH", while a measly 23% of all respondents polled opined that the response of the concerned government was "APPROPRIATE".........
* 38% percent of the women polled felt safe and secure while venturing out on their own at any time of the day or night, while 54% of the women who responded to the questions put to them by the pollsters expressed a sense of apprehension and danger to life and limb while stepping out of their houses........
* 56% of all the women polled were of the opinion that the male politician was less than conducive towards the needs and aspirations of the Indian women and totally insensitive to their plight, while 32% of the women respondents disagreed with the majority of women and felt that the male politician was sensitive towards the plight of the fairer sex.......
* 52% of all the male respondents polled expressed the rather sexist opinion about women not being allowed to step out of their homes and hearths after dark while 44% of the male respondents surprisingly felt that their female counterparts should indeed have the right to step out of their homes after dark........
This "mood of the nation" poll was carried out across 19 states and questions and rejoinders were posed to 12,823 respondents who happen to be/were also eligible voters. The comprehensive survey covered all age groups , gender and the rural-urban divide from 102 parliamentary constituencies and 2 assembly constituencies within the parliamentary constituencies. House to house, door to door and face-to-face interviews were carried out........
Cold statistics and nameless figures may only serve to highlight the sense of angst and forlorness prevalent amongst the Indian women, but the true test of our social progress will lie in the manner in which the trials are conducted in the 23,000 odd thousand rape cases that make an appearance before various Indian courts........
Speedy and time bound trials, sure and timely justice and a sympathetic and congenial court atmosphere is what the battered and hapless Indian woman is looking for, will this meagre hope and expectation continue to be a pipe dream or then become a concrete reality within the near future, well the answer could provide the real measure of the status of women within this patriarchal, regressive and oppressive society.........
An overwhelming majority of such men display a marked propensity for self praise and flattery and prefer to call themselves "brutal realists". But, are these very same men brutal realists or just passive status quoists who have a vested interest in denying the Indian woman her due right to step out wherever and whenever she likes at a time of her choosing and the oft touted argument about the outdoor climes being anything but safe for women is just another myth conveniently propagated by men to side step their responsibility towards providing safety, security and succour to women.......
A nation wide survey conducted by India Today magazine a little over a fortnight ago threw up the following or below mentioned statistics and only serve to fortify the overwhelming sense of freedom from the chains and shackles imposed by a patriarchal and regressive society on it's fairer sex:.......
* an overwhelming majority of 87% of all the women polled said a resounding yes to the death penalty being made mandatory for all first time as well as serial rapists, only 10% of all the women respondents said a no to the death sentence.......
* 40% of all the women polled gave a thumbs down to the Delhi government's response to the anti rape protests in the capital and termed it "BAD", 30% of the women polled felt that the response of the government of the day was unduly "HARSH", while a measly 23% of all respondents polled opined that the response of the concerned government was "APPROPRIATE".........
* 38% percent of the women polled felt safe and secure while venturing out on their own at any time of the day or night, while 54% of the women who responded to the questions put to them by the pollsters expressed a sense of apprehension and danger to life and limb while stepping out of their houses........
* 56% of all the women polled were of the opinion that the male politician was less than conducive towards the needs and aspirations of the Indian women and totally insensitive to their plight, while 32% of the women respondents disagreed with the majority of women and felt that the male politician was sensitive towards the plight of the fairer sex.......
* 52% of all the male respondents polled expressed the rather sexist opinion about women not being allowed to step out of their homes and hearths after dark while 44% of the male respondents surprisingly felt that their female counterparts should indeed have the right to step out of their homes after dark........
This "mood of the nation" poll was carried out across 19 states and questions and rejoinders were posed to 12,823 respondents who happen to be/were also eligible voters. The comprehensive survey covered all age groups , gender and the rural-urban divide from 102 parliamentary constituencies and 2 assembly constituencies within the parliamentary constituencies. House to house, door to door and face-to-face interviews were carried out........
Cold statistics and nameless figures may only serve to highlight the sense of angst and forlorness prevalent amongst the Indian women, but the true test of our social progress will lie in the manner in which the trials are conducted in the 23,000 odd thousand rape cases that make an appearance before various Indian courts........
Speedy and time bound trials, sure and timely justice and a sympathetic and congenial court atmosphere is what the battered and hapless Indian woman is looking for, will this meagre hope and expectation continue to be a pipe dream or then become a concrete reality within the near future, well the answer could provide the real measure of the status of women within this patriarchal, regressive and oppressive society.........
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