For India’s betterment: Creative marathoner highlights a bitter reality
One of the favourite participants of the event has an annual message for all — only education has the power to eradicate crimes against women
Half of his body representing the police machinery, the other half representing judiciary and a placard detailing the statistics of rapes in India, 30-year-old Manas Kumar was the centre of attraction on Sunday's Mumbai Marathon.
His co-runners were seen clicking photos with him as he is one of the most favourite participants of the annual marathon, owing to his unique costumes.
Notably, Kumar has been participating in various marathons in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, and every time comes us with some or the other unique costumes to convey a social message.
This time the software engineer from Hyderabad, highlighted the rising rape instances in the nation and tried to focus on how both police and the judiciary cannot bring the numbers down.
He had tried to compare the tragic rape incidents of veterinary doctor at Telangana and of Nirbhaya, the physiotherapist from Delhi.
“In both the incidents, the victims were killed barbarically. The only difference is that the accused of Telangana were punished instantly in an encounter but the ones in Nirbhaya rape are yet to be hanged. But despite the encounters and the death sentences, there has been no reduction in rape cases,” said Kumar, while speaking with Free Press Journal.
He added, “Thus, I want the citizens to understand that neither police encounters nor the judiciary can bring down the rape cases. Because both have their own process and course.”
According to Kumar, who is also a part-time model, rape incidents can only be brought down by proper education.
“It is said that a child's first school is their home. Thus, we all must strive to ensure that we inculcate better values in our child and even in schools, they are taught to respect women,” Kumar said.
“I believe that if better values are inculcated in children they would grow up into a good human because no one is a born rapist but whatever the person learns or goes through in his childhood, the same is reflected when he turns
into an adult,” Kumar said, while he was being cheered by other runners.
Interestingly, Kumar has won over six awards for his out-of-the-box costume ideas. In Mumbai marathon alone, he has won awards for donning the attire of Bharat Mata and then, an ATM machine during the demonetisationSpeaking about his costumes, Kumar said, “I myself stitch my costumes every time. But before that, I usually do research so that I can provide accurate statistics and that my message is clearly conveyed to the people.”
It is said that a child's first school is their home. Thus, we all must strive to ensure that we inculcate better values in our child and even in schools, they are taught to respect women”
— Manas Kumar, Marathoner & software engineer