From Khairlanji to Kathua via Unnao – Is India a Rape Nation? - Velivada

Priyanka Bhotmange, along with her mother Surekha, was paraded naked and when their dead bodies were found, they had marks of inhuman communal rape. India has seen the photos of this humiliation, but the court did not bring in this angle and even did not refer to caste angle in this case. In 2006, India saw protests all over in response to the Khairlanji caste atrocity and the world media took note of this heinous caste system. That was in 2006. But the rapes and violence on the women from the Dalit community did not stop and it continues to haunt. The continuous culture of rape indicates that there is something wrong with the Indian culture, or perhaps, its religion.

An 8 years old Asifa was raped in a temple for 8 days. What kind of a human will do this? Asifa’s body was found thrown in the street. What kind of a humiliation that is to a girl whose life was yet to become a realization of her full humanity? She was physically and communally raped by the network of Hindutva nationalist in collusion with the state machinery as it is becoming evident now. In both Khairlanji and Kathua cases, the large-scale pattern of the conspiracy by the Hindutva fundamentalists and their agents in the power can be understood. What followed after both the cases of rapes was a mobilization instigated by the Hindutva forces to vilify the communities whose daughters and mothers were raped.

Unnao is the direct evidence of how these two agents come into action to not only rape but also cover up the rape with the power, and if that fails, cover it up with “Nationalism” replacing the rapist’s flag with India’s four-coloured flag. How can India that has Justice as a core and reason for existence defend the rapist? It is a great insult to India and its reason for existence. In Unnao, the victim was humiliated, but what was worst was the custodial death of her father who went to seek justice for his daughter. The reason was the powerful RSS/BJP MLA who has allegedly raped the innocent girl.

If we do not learn our lessons from Khairlanji to Kathua with a glaring rape case in Unnao in mind and act upon it, we are the participant in the promotion of such a rape culture, if we do not respond. It is time to respond.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale

Editor – Inside the temple, they raped and murdered a little girl and then they have an army of advocates to protect them, this is how brahminism works. Raping and exploiting young girls inside the temples have always been a part of the Brahminical culture, remember Devadasi system, which is still very much prevalent in India!