Silent SCREAM

It is one at night. It is republic day. I cannot sleep. I feel burdened in my body as a woman. While flipping through the TV channels I suddenly saw a group of " sri ram activists" culturally correct some young girls in a Pub by beating them up. In My country. How easy to violate my sense of my dignity. A slap on my buttocks, a brush against my breasts, a leer with a look, a whistle, a yank of my duppata  anything... anything can damage my sense of safety. I dont have to be in pub. It is a rape of my mind, a looming darkness that haunts me.

 It doesn't matter that I may have read all the Upanishads and scriptures. It does not matter if I was pious otherwise. It doesn't matter that my attacker does not have a decency of a Ravana. It is culturally right to demand dowry, kill female unborn and beat up women.

I reject this religion today. What if a million women gave up these gods and their followers who cannot protect us anymore in this country?  Patriarchy has found its deepest ally in my more revered beliefs so I see no way forward but to let go of all vestiges of my practices. Today on republic day I  declare that only half our country is liberated . The other half is screaming.  If you shut your ears to the sounds of the mantras and the slogans you will hear the Silent scream of women, a million unborn, a million beaten up, another million like me who cant do anything about it but write.

 Listen!