The BBC documentary, India’s daughter, is hard to forget. But there’s nothing to like about it, though. A remorseless convict who defends his crime, a set of bereaved parents who cannot hold back their tears when talking about their daughter – brutally torn apart in death. And then there is the defence lawyer. I would set my daughter alight, he declares vehemently to the camera, if she dishonours the family.
And this is who we entrust the law with.
And that is precisely why the arguments about how the BBC subverted the Indian law to make this documentary are laughable. It reeks of plain, cold indifference to India’s women. A thoughtless, defensive knee-jerk reaction to someone “offending” the country is actually given much leverage than the graver matter at hand.
And thus rape becomes a cause for misplaced national pride. Rape, that is the unfortunate context to this story. Rape, that is significant but by no means the only problem facing women in India. But how dare a Briton point that out.
We dig up statistics. On how the West has more rapes than India. So?
It’s not just us, some articles furiously holler back, how about a documentary on pedophilia with Jimmy Savile as the hook? Or one on the systemic abuse of young girls by Pakistani gangs in Rotherham?
On how the documentary is classic British hypocrisy. On how it is sanctimonious. Ironic, like if India were to make a film on poverty in the UK or class warfare in the US. Yes, rape exists in India. 92 women every day. But, how could a foreigner – a journalist belonging to a former colonial oppressor document this?
Yet, rape exists in India. The reality does not change because a Briton drew attention to it.
Even if Leslee Udiwn did say that her film was “a gift” to the country. Even if she greedily devoured all the poverty and squalor on display. Even if she broke the law on purpose. Even if she conveniently ignored the victim’s friend who was with her during the incident; who nearly died saving her.
Even if she gave too much time to air the views of a convicted rapist sentenced to die. Even if she recreated the crime.
The reality does not change.
The documentary did fulfill a purpose.
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It brought to light – framed by language as misogynistic as possible – what the country’s women deal with every day. It told the world, particularly men, and the authors of those articles comparing statistics – that we still have a long way to go towards liberation, let alone empowerment – especially for a nation that is still struggling to free itself from something as primal and elemental as menstrual taboos. And also that we have several discriminatory minds to conquer, that talking numbers and nitty-gritties of the law are not just impertinent, but just reek of disrespect. To the women in the country who are still fighting daily battles. And to the bereaved mother, whose daughter was victim to the evil manifestations of raging patriarchy.
And, also because, for every person who finds Mukesh Singh’s comments discriminatory, there will be four others who would silently agree with him. Not just men.
And finally because, there’s a larger war to fight.
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Image credit: wn.com