Watching the news channel yesterday, I was compelled to reflect on the status of women in India. The Arushi murder case, though claimed to be solved by the police, sent wrong signals across the country. I went through several networking sites. All of them were against the labeling of Arushi-Hemraj love as illicit. How can a girl, emotionally dependant on a person much older than her father, be termed as having illicit affair with the person? This instantly reminded me yet another pathetic situation: the cheerleaders controversy, where several ‘moral groups’ were deciding on how should the people dress.
It is surprising why the culture, which gives such lofty status to women, treats them as pearls, has troubles with their men acting lecherously while looking any meagerly clad women, and then charge the women for fault. It is the Indian custom which has given greatest value to women; as well as Indian women have lived up to the expectations plus the respect and admiration they power in the society.
The IPL league initiated with the thought to start the new phenomenon of entertainment in cricket. IPL people expended a lot for making it a grand hit. The association had the purpose to take domestic Indian cricket to global viewers. In the beginning everything was all right, but then the politicians again started to grab the attention as it was done in the case of bar girls. However, in a temporary amnesty, the order to ban the dance bars in Maharashtra has been returned by governor. But the girls are always squeezed between moral policing and regulatory efforts on one hand and extreme poverty, susceptibility to health risks such as HIV/AIDS and sexual exploitation on other hand. The majorities of these women have little occupational skills and are inadequately educated. A few of them might have come into such profession fascinated by glamour of being entertainers and singers.
Cheer-girls are a bit of entertainment or activity package which IPL had promised the audiences countrywide. Group of cheerleaders might have been barred by the politicians to come in cricket matches, but none of the political leaders can dare to challenge the love for western culture in our youth. Group of cheer-girls are liable for criticizing Indian culture and therefore are trapped by the politicians. But I think we should witness such responsive policies when the Bollywood beauties extend obscenity so boldly. Various cheerleaders are not enchanted with the activities of crowd also. These girls may be barred from the game, but the authorities cannot plan to get back our own culture from clutches of ignorance and negligence. These girls might go back to their states but their recognition amongst youth has formed an imprint on impressionable minds of young group. We cannot eliminate obscenity by asking the cheer-girls to go back. We have to instill amongst us what is called Indian Culture.
The politicians, the so called supporters of Indian Morality, made and are still making a big argument over the cheerleaders. They objected on the kind of clothes these cheerleaders wore. But then why do politicians wear khadi? Because it reflects their association with Gandhi. Similarly, these girls were also wearing something that has been associated with games across the world. The kind of gestures which Bipasha or Rakhi Sawant would do in their dance number is fine, because they can see it in the private theatres. Cheer leaders were also performing on large stadiums as well as in front of thousands of people. The cricket matches were being shown on television messing the so called Indian Culture! The advertisements which come on TV, the type of show models, male or female, bathing in pools or anywhere, are they not against Indian Culture? These too are transmitted throughout India. The kind of jokes which come on various laughter shows, they speak directly or use double-talk, which derogates comedy, but such things are in accordance to the Culture because children cannot understand them. I am surprised what these leaders and politicians are upto. They were believed to take care of the welfare of the public who selected them and not expected that same chosen person will take the cheers away from their lives. Rejoicing the woman of substance, it seems is similar to dropping a woman to a substance.
The result of this reflection is as follows: Instead of nagging around and making the women feel guilty, offer sufficient education to them. Lack of sufficient education is the only cause why they have to go for such jobs as bar dancing. Create respectable employment for them. And you yourself learn to continue the tradition where women are respected. Your mom never allowed you to grow out of her lap to look down at other women.
