We Took Azam Khan’s Bizarre ‘Advice’: Erased Women, Sent Them Home

Let’s imagine Azam Khan’s safer India for women.

What happens when women disappear from places of besharmi? (Photo: The Quint/Rahul Gupta)

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan asked women to not venture into any place where ‘besharmi ka nanga naach’ can happen. We went ahead and did just that. Erased women from possible places of besharmi. Have a look.

Place of Besharmi 1: Plantations

(Photo: The Quint/ Rahul Gupta)

What? A peaceful looking tea plantation doesn’t fit your imagination where besharmi can happen?

Here’s a link to the article.

These women, who form 55.86 percent of the total plantation workforce, should quit work and stay at home. That’s 3,70,619 women every day. Wonder who will provide for their families when they quit...

Not enough? Here’s another one.

Place of Besharmi 2: The Office

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint/Rahul Gupta)

This is a classic. You knew this was coming with all the sexual harassment at workplace uproar the country witnessed a month ago.

Except, it’s not a one-time thing. It’s an issue constantly gnawing at our nation’s growth.

Office is too general? Let’s take IT and BPO industry then (‘cause aren’t we proud of leading the world in tech?). According to 'Women and IT Scorecard India’ by NASSCOM, roughly 34 percent of techies in India are women. That’s 1.3 million women. Sure, let them sit at home. But can the economy handle it?

For those who came late, let us fill you in. After two girls were molested by a gang of 14 men in broad daylight in Rampur, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan shared his twopence on how to keep women safe.

To be precise, his golden words were:

What happens when women disappear from places of besharmi? (Photo: The Quint/Rahul Gupta)

If you are scratching your head over the besharmi ka nanga naach reference, well, join the club.

For argument's sake let’s assume places of besharmi are where women have been disrespected (read: cat called, touched without consent, molested, man-handled, raped).

Since we are genuinely at a loss for ways to deal with sexual abuse that is currently crippling our country, we decided to give his advice a try.

Moving on.

Place of Besharmi 3: School

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint/ Rahul Gupta)

How did school, a place of learning, feature as a place of besharmi? Have we lost it? Who would dare to lay hands on girls in their teens vying for a better life through education?

Many.

Here’s a link to the article.

Here’s a link to the article.

Here’s a link to the article.

Some don’t even make it past the streets to their schools!

Here’s a link to the article.

Homeschooling is the only option then? So much for ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.’

More places of Besharmi: Public Transport, Markets, Streets

(Photo Courtesy: Flikr.com)

(Photo: The Quint/ Rahul Gupta)

Since public transport gets regular flak for eve teasing, women should stay away from all of that too.

Here’s a link to the article.

Cabs are clearly not for them.

Here’s a link to the article.

Here’s a link to the article.

Don’t even let them work in malls or run their own shops.

(Photo Courtesy: Max Pixel)

(Photo: The Quint/ Rahul Gupta)

Since an Oxfam India study points out that the top three industries unsafe for women are: daily labourer ( 29 percent), domestic help ( 23 percent) and small scale manufacturing (16 percent).

Actually, why even let them walk the streets? What the advice really comes down to : confine women at home.

But there’s a glitch in that scenario.

Place of Besharmi 5: The Home

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint/ Rahul Gupta)

Yes, home. Family. Relatives.

Sorry to burst the bubble, but home and family isn’t the ultimate safe haven to protect women from abuse, be it sexual or otherwise.

National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB)‘s 2015 data on child sexual abuse shows that 10 percent of children were being raped by their own direct family members and relatives.

NCRB also point out that there is one dowry death in every 78 hours, and one in every three married women experience domestic violence.

Let’s not even go into the whole debate of marital rape.

So what is the solution? We know! Let’s just wipe women off the face of this country. Problem solved.

After all, creating an environment where men can’t harass women, is not an option, right?