Our culture of misogyny

We are seeing the birth of yet another monster in our society. What starts as a jibe, generally escalates to abuse — verbal and physical. When people keep quiet... or in some cases, convert these taunts into jokes, every single woman is at risk.

The thing about louts like Giriraj Singh is that they genuinely don’t know any better! And there lies the real danger. The man routinely makes the most obnoxious comments — whether on or off the record, hardly matters — and gets away with them! What is the worst anybody can do with men like Mr Singh? Well, in our skewered political environment, the fellow gets a mild reprimand, is advised by Bharatiya Janata Party heavyweight Amit Shah ( not Narendra Modi, please note), to issue an apology. Mr Singh reluctantly does as he is instructed, but issues an apology of an apology. And there it ends. Congress wall as come down on him like the proverbial tonne of bricks, there are street protests in different cities, enraged Congress waal is wave placards, court arrest, demand Mr Singh’s arrest... and Sonia Gandhi sensibly refuses to dignify the controversy by issuing a response. Everybody realises the whole thing is a monumental, obligatory farce with zero impact. Why so? The two warring sides clearly occupy entirely different planetary systems. The public school educated, voluble chaps from the Congress speak posh English, use big words and deliver mini- sermons that go over everybody’s heads. Come on guys, get your lingo right! Mr Singh is guilty of something far more vile than merely making “intemperate and distasteful” remarks. Mr Singh is a “serial offender”, as Brinda Karat pointed out. He wasn’t ticked off when he made other deeply offensive comments ( April 18, 2014, in Deoghar Jharkhand, when he said “... those who want to stop Modi should go to Pakistan.”). If anything, he was rewarded! This culturally illiterate person is a minister in Mr Modi’s Cabinet. What a sad reflection! Cabinet ministers in this government keep sinking to deplorable depths but don’t lose their berths. Even after insulting not just one individual, but women across India and the world. Mr Singh has also insulted the citizens of a friendly nation ( Nigeria), prompting the Nigerian high commission spokesperson to demand an apology. Nigeria also has the option to file a complaint with the ministry of external affairs.

What emerges from this particular offence is the gigantic gap ( widening by the hour, as it were), between the ruling political party, ministers included, and the public at large. Regardless of what anybody thinks of Mrs Gandhi, nobody is willing to condone racist- sexist remarks about Mrs Gandhi’s “safed chamdi” ( white skin). Mr Singh asks an inexcusably rude and pointed question: “Would the Congress Party have accepted Rajiv Gandhi’s wife had she not been white but a woman from Nigeria?” It’s not enough for commentators to keep pointing out, “Oh... but we are all racists in India,” as if that admission makes everything okay. If at all, it underlines a nasty truth that we should be deeply embarrassed by and ashamed of. This is also trotted out as the reason why vulgar comments on women’s skin tones and female body types made by other politicians, have been dismissed casually. These abhorrent remarks reveal deep- rooted prejudices that cut across states and party lines. It’s another matter that Mr Singh represents the powerful Bhumihar community in Bihar, and with elections coming up in the state towards the end of the year, he cannot be booted out.

Citizens have the right to wonder whether these cheap anti- women jibes have gone up dramatically ever since the BJP came to power 10 months ago. Look at the dismal track record of Sakshi Maharaj and the like. Mr Modi chose stony silence over verbal condemnation. This was not expected from a Prime Minister who keeps proclaiming his commitment to women’s issues. Paradoxically, when faced with blatant sexist remarks from his flock, he keeps mum. Mr Singh is not alone; there seems to be a widespread culture of misogyny coupled with the absence of socially acceptable conduct within the BJP. If this were not the case, nobody would have dared to articulate such nauseating sentiments. And more crucially, nobody would have dared to laugh openly when such remarks are made. It is the laughter I find the scariest.

We are seeing the birth of yet another monster in our society — uncouth men who mock women, mock all that civilised society stands for. What starts as a jibe, generally escalates to abuse — verbal and physical. When people keep quiet... or in some cases, convert these taunts into jokes, every single woman is at risk. That includes women who belong to families of men like Mr Singh. It is going to be a huge problem going forward... unless Mr Modi steps in directly and assures the country that action will be taken against men like Mr Singh. What sort of action? Not a tap on the wrists, and a mild “tch tch” surely? The man must be sacked — from his post and the party. That will send out the required message to others guilty of the same crime. Will the PM do it? No chance.

The reason for Mr Modi’s aloofness can be read in two ways: Even the few educated chaps in Mr Modi’s Cabinet know in their heart of hearts that this is a war they cannot win. They also know men like Mr Singh are not alone — they speak for millions of men like themselves who have scant respect for women. These culprits are also shrewd enough to tap into India’s obsession with “safed chamdi”. It is so ingrained in our psyche that most times such comments go unchallenged even in socalled polite company.

What the Modi government needs to wake up to in this context is a new wave sweeping over India. The young today are not the young of yesterday. These are Mr Modi’s voters. They didn’t give the mandate to the BJP for condoning or protecting people like Mr Singh. If this onslaught against women does not stop forthwith, there is going to be a gigantic backlash from the very people who are responsible for the big BJP win. Nobody can take this generation for granted. Not even Mr Modi. Readers can send

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