Kirron Kher must quit blaming a rape victim, instead travel in an auto in Chandigarh
If the cheapest form of conveyance is also the most unsafe one, you can’t blame the victim.
Chandigarh’s BJP MP Kirron Kher has offered a unique piece of advice to women travelling alone after dark. Commenting on the alleged gangrape of a 22-year-old in Mohali, which came to light on November 17, the MP said that the woman should not have boarded the auto-rickshaw that had three men inside. Her comment brings home the fact that people who have not availed of public transport for ages should think twice before making such ludicrous statements. It also proves that despite being a Parliamentarian, she is aware of neither the law and order machinery, nor the public transport infrastructure of the city.
“Bachi ki samajhdaari ko bhi main thoda sa kehna chahti hun...saari bachiyon ko...ki already jab koi teen aadmi baithe hue hain uske andar...to aapko, beta, usme nahi jaana chahiye... I am saying this to protect the girls... (I will also point out the girl’s decision to board the auto-rickshaw. I am saying it for girls that when there are three people inside an auto-rickshaw, you should not have boarded that,” Kher said, after she was asked to comment on the incident.
Boarding an auto is not a choice
The Chandigarh Metro project is being put on backburner as the city does not need one, and the public transport comprises auto-rickshaws (shared and booked), e-rickshaws and buses (the last mode known for its blink-and-miss presence).
The woman was returning from her stenography class, which was at sector 37, to her paying guest accommodation in Mohali. She took an auto-rickshaw as there is no bus service between the two places. According to reports, three men, including the driver, raped her and dumped her in Sector 53, where she was spotted by passersby who called the police. The MP must understand that opting for an auto-rickshaw is not a luxury for a woman in a city which has no metro and fewer buses.
Not everybody can afford cabs
As Kirron Kher questions the decision of the woman to travel in an auto-rickshaw, here’s the real picture. Chandigarh has a considerable number of outstation residents, comprising students. Most of them do not have private cars. Some of them may not be able to afford a cab ride too. If the cheapest form of conveyance is also the most unsafe one, you can’t blame the victim: not her choice, not her timing.
In fact, she was actually left with no choice.
Choosing co-passengers is not an option
Kirron Kher’s comment has two parts. First, she question the woman’s choice of travelling in an auto-rickshaw, and then she questions the choice of boarding it while there were three men inside the vehicle. One man here is the driver.
In a city that lacks public transport, a passenger can’t choose her co-passengers. Sharing an auto-rickshaw with male passengers comes naturally, unless you have plenty of time. The woman returning from her class in the evening surely didn’t have the luxury of spending time to find the best auto-rickshaw, either empty, or with only female passengers.
And then the MP also cited her experience of travelling in taxis in Mumbai. She recounted how she used to share with someone the number of a taxi when she had to board one. But then again, she blamed the woman for not doing something similar.
Facing flak for victim-shaming, the MP retracted and said: “I have just said that the times are not good, girls should remain careful. The Chandigarh police sends a PCR van if a girl calls on to police by dialing ‘100’.” She also slammed the Opposition for politicising her earlier comment.
And this brings us to the bigger problem of asking the girls to remain careful, without sparing a thought about strengthening public transport or police surveillance. Not too long ago, DJ Varnika Kundu, another Chandigarh resident, was stalked on the city's streets, raising concerns about women's safety. She was not travelling in an auto-rickshaw. She was in her car.
Strengthening public transport alone may not stop such horrific crimes. But at least it will stop the privileged — especially a Parliamentarian — from questioning the choice of ordinary citizens.