Give Me Independence

“The day Woman can walk freely on roads at night, the day we can say that India has achieved Independence.”            - M.K. Gandhi.

            

        It is called that India got independence on 15^th August 1947. It is almost 70 years post-independence. In the last 7 decades, the country encounters multiple changes and emerge as one of the biggest powerhouse of world. Many changes we have seen with our eyes through those years. We are witness of complete transformation of the country. From telephone to smartphone, Windows 93 to Windows 10, Blue Line Buses to Blue Line Metro, Black-Yellow taxi to Ola cabs, reservation tickets in train’s sleeper class to boarding passes, Money Order to Online transaction, ATM to Paytm and much more. But once again if we go deeper, we will find that it all are just eye washer. We have changed our clothes, colors of our home, our vehicle but not our inner thinking. We got independence from Britain but not from our sick mentality, not from unwanted obligations of society, not from unnecessary limitations…… Today also, a married woman is not less than an unpaid maid of a house who also has to satisfy sexual needs of her husband without any condition in many places of India. She can’t even think about wearing clothes of her choice, taking decisions of her life by her choice and much more. A girl can’t go to a remote location during nights…..So, what you called independence??? I don’t think it is independence.

              

  This is the story of Naina, a typical city girl. Or in other words typical Delhi girl. She has having fairytale dreams to achieve in her life. Her family also supports her for all her activities. She is perusing company secretary and doing her internship from an MNC company in South Delhi. Pritish saw her first time in office by holding a bunch of files, near the photocopier machine and waiting for her turn. Actually Pritish was also working in the same office where Naina was doing her internship. Pritish was the sales manager there and everyone’s favorite in that office. 

            

   In the very first interaction, Naina was like a simple girl with a dull life style as per the imagination of Pritish. Because really on that day, she was like a school going girl with extra formal get up and wearing thick-framed specs. It was just interaction and both involved in their particular works. Nina always simple in office but still sometimes, the beauty of her squirrel kind of eyes and innocent smile with a small dimple tries to reveal her hidden beauty.

             

  Naina befriended with mutual friends of Pritish and so with him also. Once, Pritish and his friends organized a party on the occasion of farewell of one of their colleagues. Delhi’s parties never complete without Drink and DJ. Both were available at that place. Party has started and it was at its peak. Pritish is fond of parties and that’s why he was enjoying with more energy. He was in a competition of Taquila shots with his colleague and good friend Ankita who is a tanker. But it all surprise to Pritish when he saw a new player in game and it was Naina. That day he encounters the real avatar of Naina in a get up of bold Delhi girl.

               

“Give me one more shot………..” Naina said by interrupting between the competition of Pritish and Ankita.

              “Naina You!” Pritish said with a big wonder in his eyes.

             “So what…..give me a fucking shot and a piece of lemon, oh yes I got to know that here is some competition going on? I am interested to participate….” Naina was in full flow.

            “Yeah of course but are you really ……………” Pritish asked by looking at Ankita’s eyes.

            “Oh yes, and now don’t mess with my mood and give me a glass of shot….”

            

“Ok bro…… Take it and cheers….”Pritish served and they involved in their competition cum celebration. Ankita went away after taking some shots but these two carried on with their competition. She was naughty with drinks but looking very cute. Her soft voice, bold comments, Delhi girl type sledges and again that eyes which were getting more glittery on that night. It was like Pritish found his crush in Naina that night. After 6-7 shots of tequila, Naina persisted Pritish for dance on beats of DJ. Pritish hesitated but it was Naina’s night and she can convince anybody that night. So, both of them started dancing on floor.

             

Sometimes, you can’t imagine an unexpected surprise in your life where you want to live every second of that time, the same was happening with Pritish that night. He was loving each and every second of that night with Naina and didn’t want to let it go. At the end of the party, he dropped her to home as she was little high on tequila.

           

“It was nice party yesterday………..”Ankita said with curious smile on her face during lunch hour very next day after party.

           “Yes of course! It was very nice and we enjoyed a lot….” Vibha said confidently. She is one of their closest friend and colleague.

           “Yup! We need to organize such parties frequently……” Pritish added in conversation.

           “Hey, what you guys are doing this new year?” Ankita asked with some planning in her mind.

            “Actually, I have some planning. I already planned to go for a road trip on New Year eve...” Naina said with excitement in her voice.

            “Great! Going along with boyfriend …?” Pritish asked by stretching his nose and chuckles.

            “No, it’s with my college days friends. Every year we used to go……”Naina replied with a confident smile on her face. She replied very instantly because she want to say him that she didn’t had a boyfriend. 

              

 Finally, New Year’s Eve arrived. Pritish already spoken with Naina and got update about her trip. She was very happy on phone and enjoying her trip with friends. Pritish also prepared and went for pub with his friend circle. Fever of New Year was on it’s peak in Delhi and the time come……. Finally it was 00:00. Pritish called Naina for New Year wish but she didn’t responded. He left a message of New Year on her Whatsapp and once again involved in party. He returned late night around 3 and little bit in hangover. He was tired also, so slept without even looking at his phone.

              

Next morning was little cozy due to Delhi winters, Prtish got up late and still in hangover. He took coffee and unlocked his mobile which was full with New Year wishes from others. He was reading and replying all messages. In meanwhile he saw his yesterday’s message of Naina. There was no revert from her, also the message had not delivered to her. It might be her phone got switched off.    

              

It was New Year and everything was on it’s extreme for celebration of the day. Pritish was on holiday mood but still he always use to look upon his message for Naina but still no response. He tried to avoid but in evening, he can’t control himself and called to Ankita about any news of Naina.

          

  Ankita’s denial created panic situation to Pritish. He started calling all of his colleagues who knows Naina but ultimately there was no information about her. Finally he connected to Naina’s parents but they also in super panic situation. No information about Naina and her friends who were on trip that night. Everybody become restless for many days but no any news of Naina. Deep silence everywhere and all hopes were becoming blur.

        

    It was 2^nd day after missing of Naina and suddenly Pritish got a call from police station and it was quite shocker for Pritish. Naina was in police custody along with her friend Shruti and Tania. They were accused for brutally murder of 4 persons. This news was indigestible for everyone. They all rushed to police station where a completely different Naina was sitting inside lock up.

           

Naina didn’t want to talk or meet with anyone. Might be her mind was not in a condition to meet with anyone. But she was totally off colored. According to police, she had confessed for all the murders and opt not to say anything in her defense. After all efforts of her family members, friends and dear ones, still Naina stick on her stand and not said a single word. The case went to the court and very easily she become prime accused and almost after a month time, the verdict had to deliver.

           

It was final proceeding of court and very first time Naina said something.

          

“Accused Naina, all the witnesses and evidences are against you and proving your act behind brutal murder of 4 persons. Now, it is last time before court could deliver its verdict, you want to say something?” The judge gave an opportunity to Naina for speaking.

          

“Yes My Lord…………”Naina said for the first time with super confidence. She started talking and talking and talking which was something not avoidable for anybody sitting inside the court.

      

   “My Lord when I was small it is taught in school that we got independence on 15^th August 1949. We are living in an independent country. I trust his statement and believe it that we are really independent. But as per time passed, the belief is also become blur simultaneously and one question always revolves in my mind that was ‘do we really independent’?” Naina complete her first statement and there was pin drop silence in court room. But she didn’t stop there and continued her speech.

         

“My Lord, I have seen girls whose career decided by their parents only and no any scope for them to choose a career according to their will. I have seen fixing of their marriage with an unknown without even talking to them. I have seen them having been pregnant within a year time of marriage without their will. I have seen them doing all the work of home without any hesitation even though in pregnancy time and being a part of mental torture in case of anything wrong. I have seen those eunuch husbands who use to beat them without reasons and once again having sex with them without their will. I have seen those in-laws who brutally burn them due to few amount of dowry…… Are those women were independent? Or they are just unpaid maids of their husband’s family? Or just a sex toy for their husbands?” Nina was in her flow almost everybody were silently listening to her.

         

“My Lord, I have seen those people who use to comment on a girl’s dresses and issue them a character certificate instantly. I have seen people touching private parts of women in public transports during rush hours. I have seen people secretly looking at cleavages of girls and woman whenever they got chance in workplace, parties and many places. Which kind of independence is it? We don’t have freedom to wear clothes, going anywhere as per our wishes, choosing our life partners, making friends, or in one word living a life as per our own terms?” Naina’s voice was loud and clear and her eyes were shining.

           

“Yes I killed those 4 basters but not for shake of a crime but for teaching such people a lesson for not messing up with a girl. What was our fault, we were just celebrating New Year and going for short road trip, is there any harm doing so? Or who will decide that till when, a girl has to go outside or which all places she should go without fear? Or what all dresses she need to wore during outing?” Naina continued.

          

“We were on our trip without hurting anyone and returning from Chandigarh. We were noticing a car following us from long time and in meanwhile, suddenly a truck broke down on road near Ambala Bypass, we reduced our speed and suddenly we heard a big bump as the car following us behind crashed into our car. Before we could do anything, four persons got down from the car and broke window of ours and forcefully took we all with them to nearby farm house. They beat us badly, abused for our dresses, and finally raped us. ? I have nothing left to react but still I made myself conscious.    

            

“2 person went away for their home and said for coming next day morning as they had plan to keep us with them for next whole day. Third one went outside for bringing more alcohol. I got a final chance to grab that monster who almost slept on floor due to over drinking. I stood up took a bat keeping on the corner  and without any hesitation hit him on his head. I hit him repeatedly until complete smash of his head on the ground. Shruti and Tania got consciousness but remain statue by looking at me. But I had super energy that night. I waited and waited till the arrival of other three of them. After some time, I saw another person coming with some stuff in his hand. He entered in room and I hit him from behind. He falls on the ground, we caught him and cut his belly. I put his intestine on his hand to remind him what wrong he did. He was screaming like animal until his death.” That was horrible from Naina.

           

“What about 2 others??” Judge asked by looking at her eyes.

           

“As expected they came next morning and we were also waiting for them. They were shouting at door by names of those other. Tanya silently opened the door and they entered without knowing anything. I and Shruti had pan full of boiling water. As they entered in the room, we thrown the water on them. They were scrambling like cockroaches on ground. We killed both of them and went away.” Naina wrapped up her story.

            “You never thought to be complaining against them in Police, because you had change to escape from the place?” Judge asked a regular question.

            

“Why?” Why would I complain against them and wait for ‘justice in waiting’. Why would I made myself always ready for baseless questions of police and also giving an opportunity to that lab assistant for legally touching me for the sake of making reports. Why would I gave a golden chance to those monsters for roaming freely on streets by getting bail? No, I can’t, not for me but for every girl in the country who must be aware about her rights.” Naina was confident for her activity.

           

“One last thing my lord, I don’t required anybody’s sympathy or mercy. I need independence, not for me but for almost 60 crore women in country. After 7 decades of freedom, we are still not independent. This is not my story or any rape victim’s story but this is a story of those millions of ladies who want to live life according to them, who wish to explore themselves as they want, who wish to go anywhere without support, who want themselves free from society, culture and limitation…………………….”Naina end up with a very genuine and valid question to country and society……

Now, justice K. Subralaxmi can give any judgment on the basis of evidence and facts but Naina’s questions will remain unanswered until we all come up together and make ourselves promise to not to support any of these activities against freedom of woman.