I have always been critical of stringent laws pertaining to female empowerment in the country. The last time I wrote on a similar topic (I am not a Pervert) , I was chastised by most of the self-righteous crowd. People claim that we as a country have moved above the notion of us being a patriarchal society. Our female today are claimed to be empowered; especially with so many rules in their favour in the legislature. I personally believe that misuse is a greater evil. We shun such possibility when it comes to rape, molestation or assault laws. I thought I was wrong in thinking that the possibility of such rules turning against justice was high. But something reassured me; a story from probably the most modern university in India- MIT Manipal.

The story goes by hearsay and off course there’s no hard evidence but here it goes. It was the photo-shoot day of Electrical and Electronics. They probably had the best after party planned. One section had rented a boat at Malpe for the evening. There was a gala time spent there, some music, lots of alcohol and some wonderful memories.

A small group of friends were enjoying themselves as the time to go back home neared. Rani (Name changed) wanted her friends to meet her junior boyfriend. As her guy obliged by coming over a little tipsy himself, he was introduced to everyone. Not particularly interested in meeting the new crowd his disregard was taken as an offense by the high seniors. Tempers rose and things soon started to get physical. The guy was backed up by his room-mate, who received a bottle to his head and eventually ended up in the hospital. The main accused of doing so was Gothica’s (Name changed) brother.

The next day when the victim (Local) got out of the hospital, filed for a police complaint. The accused came along with his sister now realising in his sobriety what he had done. There was no excuse and he’d have had himself a criminal record, were he to be convicted. The ever so loving sister comes up with an ingenious idea. She claimed that the GUYS WERE TRYING TO MOLEST HER AND HER BROTHER CAME TO THE RESCUE. Now things had got serious. The officer writing the complaint asked her if she really wanted that as her statement as it would create a huge furore especially after the recent rape case. As she nodded, Rani exclaims that if her statement stays the same, she’d give a similar statement against the accused.

Eventually the police informed the HOD and he in turn informs the parents. The parents eventually sort the matter out and this died very quickly. No harm done right???

Now imagine a similar scenario where parents did not intervene or Rani did not exist. The accused would not only have been scot-free but labelled as a hero while the victim would have been behind the bars. This is arguably the most modern college in India!!!

I believe in a judicial system that protects the innocent more than prosecuting the criminals. I would leave you with the facts. While in 2012, the acquittal rate in rape cases was 46%, in the first eight months of 2013, it shot up to 75% after the law changes post Nirbhaya case (Source: TOI).  A 17 year old can have consensual sex and then claim rape and a woman can randomly claim sexual assault and the guy would be beaten by public and then put behind bars. I know women are subjected to harassment at work, public places and even at home. But, are the women in our country really ready for empowerment if the very educated (arguably modern) class acts like this???

10 thoughts on “Are we ready for women empowerment? MIT (arguably the most modern college) proves otherwise!!!”
  1. If this is indeed not hearsay, it’s a horrible thing to have happened, especially in a cosmopolitan city like Manipal.

    While I agree that the incident ACD the behavior of certain people involved in this particular case was sad and condemnable, I don’t think based on incidents like this, we should conclude that it is too early for the women to be given their rights.

    I share your concern about the misuse of the power the law provides women, I would say that there is also a simultaneous need for the same. It’s quite a paradox.

    Obviously, people like these need to grow up though.

  2. A relevant article.
    You might have watched this. A related documentary about the jingoism that usually surrounds women empowerment.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KqEO4oi1LY

    Also, data shows that the dowry law(498a) is one of the most abused laws in the country.

    I think the women who are most rightfully in need of the benefits of the law are either unaware of the law or are too powerless to go to court leaving a highly skewed ratio of false cases.

  3. Thanks Prannay for exposing the double standards of educated, empowered women. Tags of molestation and rape are no more a bad label for urban woman. Shudnt be too if she is a genuine victim but they ant thinking once to cry d same even if they aren’t. On one hand they want to be liberated to have sex with whosoever they want on other hand they file rape on promise of marriage. So u see its not crime – it’s convenience. I have tried to bring such examples in my TEDx talk Men – The Forgotten Gender | Deepika Bhardwaj | TEDxIIFTDelhi: http://youtu.be/1_2gl7lz25E As a woman i am horribly ashamed of the stuff women are doing these days. There is no shame no thought no mercy before they decide to ruin someone’s life forever. I am glad anand has shared my work on rohtak sisters above. It was a classic example of two girls out n out exploiting d whole system for their own sweet convenience. The saddest part is…they continue to do so while the boys have been scarred for life. Thanks for writing this. I wish someone made a video of this girl discussing a false molestation charge and put it up on web. High time women are exposed for their misdeeds – Deepika Bhardwaj

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