Jensy being Jensy, went mad behind all the beautiful accessories around the temple going to each stall awestruck how everything so beautiful could be so cheap as well.
We came to this shop where she pointed to a pink earring and asked this old, hefty and tall shopkeeper to get it down for her. He handed it to her and when she didn't find it convincing enough for the price he asked, she gave him back. We were turning around to proceed to another shop and this man held our hand violently saying, "Pese nikalo (Give me money)". I inquired why should we pay when we haven't even bought the thing. He came a bit nearer, handing the earring in our hand saying, "Pese nikalo nahi toh isse jaha se mene dia waha fir se lagao (Give the money or else put it back from where I gave it to you)"
No wonder he was being ridiculous, I threw the earring piece on the floor and told him that we didn't owe the shop and neither were we there to sell the things. We came to buy things, didn't like it and so gave it back. And what was even wrong with it?
He uttered "Khabar nahi aa Bandh magaj na loko kyathi avi jay che (From where do this stupid brain dead people come from)" followed by a few "Randio saali (Sluts)" abuses. This angered me and I shouted back. He pushed me back from my shoulder and in a reflex I slapped him back. I subconsciously remember Jensy trying to drag me back because she was scared that this huge man would hit me back. Also everyone around begged her to calm me down because any police interruptions would be a trouble to their illegal shops.
I did keep up with a lot of abuses at him. I called the police control room.
After 40 seconds of ringing someone picked up. I told them the entire thing and they disconnected the call. Meanwhile I went back to the temple and asked a few constables to come along. Surprisingly, the constables themselves didn't come but sent a civilian along with them.
This guy came along with us and very politely asked the 'KAKA' what was wrong.
The kaka, in his full swing started creating a drama about how we were annoying him by asking him to give out '15 items' and didn't buy any, constantly followed by 'Amba maa na kasam'.
This civilian sent by the constables with all his conscience told him that no one would believe him because we were girls!
This wasn't any less but he turned up to me and said to 'settle' the matter for they were all illegal shops and if police came there, the shops would be shut.
No wonder, even after a good 45 minutes, Police didn't turn up, neither did I get a call from any nearby police station about order from control.
This wise civilian asked the shopkeeper to apologize to us and with a lot of pain he did utter a silent 'sorry'.
And this was all because I had press card. No one would have even bothered to hear me without it.
A useless 18 seconds call to the police.
I then went to Karanj Police station after dropping Jensy at her stop.I waited at the police station for 20 minutes and when I could see completely NO ONE, I went to Ellis-bridge Police Station. I waited there for next 30 minutes and constantly kept inquiring police present there about how to file a complaint. They asked me to wait as their PI wasn't present. Thanks to a reporter from AM, I got Karanj Station PI's number. I called him up and repeated the entire incident all over again. Atleast someone heard me. He said he was stuck in traffic so I can see him on Monday.
This isn't the first time I faced a verbal abuse by a random man. This happens a lot of time on the way as well. It was just a year back when I was going on my Activa and a guy on bicycle passed a lewd comment emphasizing on my sexual organs, and I went up to his cycle and kicked it. He fell down and I threw a stone I found on the street on his face and because there was no one on the road I rushed back home.
He injured me verbally, I injured him physically.
Though it wasn't a wise thing to do most of the time, I did it because this guy was physically much frail than me. And he had a bicycle and I was on Activa. I could any how run away from there. I could have otherwise chose to accept the abuse and drive back home as if nothing just happened.
The reason this is being put up here is because I have a few questions. When most of the women who go through this almost daily choose to silently make their way out and not waste their time, I don't want to be one of them.
It echoes in my head how this wise civilian sent by constables said to this shopkeeper that No one would believe him because we were girls.
What did he even mean by that? Was I lying? Was I taking undue advantage of being a girl by alleging any random man? Or is it that the women empowerment thingy has been overrated? I can now actually feel what the rape victims would be going through when someone alleges them for being the cause of rape.
It echoes in my head how this wise civilian told the shopkeeper that this girl is from press and she could hype the entire case.
What if I didn't have a press card? What do the girls who have nothing to back up with, do?
I am still unable to understand that why did the police not turn up? Did they think this was a chota-mota matter and would be 'settled' by wise interruptions? What if this hefty guy would have hit me after I slapped him back? What if all this shopkeepers molested me and my friend after that?
What made police think that the case was small enough to be taken seriously and calling up the constituency's police station and harass them?
Why did the shopkeeper's around begged my friend because it would be a trouble for them? Why did they not take a step ahead and asked the shopkeeper to apologize?
Why didn't a single men and women of 100s there turn up to support us?
I do not know if it is worth it or not but I am going to file a complaint for this on Monday. My father supports me, fortunately. Something that is normal for women all around the country, I choose not to 'chill' and forget it.
I don't aspire to be someone very famous who took a stand.
I will at-least make sure this shopkeeper's shop is shut for I do not know if he would ever be punished.I at-least wish this shopkeeper and his fellow shopkeepers realize that they cannot just get away as they have all their life by calling someone a slut or referring to their sexual organs.
