For those who rightly think that a little catcalling, a harmless poke or a pornographic comment or two directed toward the prettier sex was innocent fun, watch out. For those who still believe in the law, the May 7, 2009 decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court against “eve-teaser” Dinesh Kumar will forever be a case-in-point.
In a first-ever community service sentence in India, Kumar, a technician working for Dell, has been asked to sweep the grounds of a government hospital in Hyderabad (Gandhi Hospital) for one hour every day for one month for plucking and pulling at the dupattas of two women walking in Gautamnagar in Hyderabad.
To read more, click here: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/hyderabad/techie-gets-‘sweeping’-order-962
A unique sentence against Eve Teasing
When the Judge refused to grant bail the first time, Kumar’s side righteously pleaded that he would loose his job if he were arrested. The kindly judge then granted bail (after two sureties of Rs.10, 000 each) and this, rather inimitable, punishment.
Apart from the novelty of the sentence, lets all marvel at the fact that these women actually went to the police station, complained, filed an FIR, and got results. Ostensibly, the Indian Penal Code contains two sections (Section 298, A and B, and Section 292) that outline legal reprisals for harassment of women. Most women, however, believe they will be laughed out the station by the ever-helpful, ever-so-sensitive police. Guidelines for filing and following through with an FIR when you are a victim of what is lovingly referred to “eve teasing” can be found on The Blank Noise Project website: http://blog.blanknoise.org/2005/04/i-was-eve-teased-taking-legal-action.html
If you are still unsatisfied with the Penal code, and want to take matters into your own hands (and fists), you have two options. A traditional nani ke zamane ki tarqeeb would be to carry tiny vials that contain red pepper or cayenne pepper powder in your hip Louis Vuitton or that latest yellow clutch and fling the sting on the unsuspecting roadside romeo.
And if you want to go hi-tech, use mace.
‘Spike,’ ‘Venom,’ ‘Cobra,’ ‘Chilliguard,’ and, rather predictably, ‘UR Safe,’ are the catchy-yet-dangerous brands of pepper spray now available at your neighborhood kirana ki dukaan in India.
After the Sri Ram Sena and Bajrang Dal samaritans rightly threw those flighty females on their bottoms for inappropriate dressing and drinking, pepper sprays have been given a new lease in the recession-rocked subcontinent.
Since those call-centre girls aren’t going to stop drinking vodka-sprite and those apers of the West aren’t going to stop their aping, the Sena and Dal people are going to have to deal with Oleoresin Capsicum sprays as well as moral decrepitude.
To read and view a video on the Mangalore attack that has prompted rise in sales for pepper sprays, click here:
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20090081494
The Economic Times reported a 300% rise in sales for sprays as of March, 2009 as a direct result of the Mangalore attack. Although a recent entrant in India’s self-defense market, sprays are legal under sections 96, 97, 102, 105 and 106 of the Indian Penal Code.
Internet research reveals that pepper sprays have had a long and illustrious history. Pepper powder was first used in China to blind enemies, then throughout the world to repel animals including bears, tigers, and apparently, Neanderthals. Fitting.
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