India Today journalist getting harassed confirms Delhi's worst fears
India Today reporter Parvina Purkayastha caught the men on camera. Photo: Twitter (Parv05)
It's a truth universally acknowledged that Delhi doesn't have the best (*loud, persistent cough*) reputation when it comes to the way it treats half of its population. Nothing projects the national capital's sense of entitlement like its chronic misbehaviour and daily harassment of our women.
In comparison with other cities, the entitlement is coupled with a complacence that's so commonplace that it beats common sense. Men in Delhi either believe that they would do it and not get caught because, "tu jaanta hai mera baap kaun hai?" or that they think the women (*eyeball roll till it hurts*) actually want it.
Ironically enough, there is a pervasive lack of respect towards women in a the city that prides itself on its "bro culture", but doesn't shy away from passing lewd comments, making obscene gestures at women at any time of the day, in any corner of the city.
One of the ugliest manifestations of Delhi's sexual harassment problem was the Nirbhaya rape case. Those men thought they could get away with it; they assumed that she "wanted it" as she out late at night with her male friend. Yes, that's enough a reason, for most Indians at least.
However, another sacrosanct Delhi notion - that people in the national capital respect power and give two hoots about women in the media - came crashing down last night.
Delhi was shamed once again when an India Today journalist was harassed by three men in a passing vehicle while she was travelling in her car that had the company sticker on it as well as PRESS written in bold, legible letters.
Meet these bravehearts of the national capital, fearlessly passes lewd comments & gestures @ prime locations.Heroes! pic.twitter.com/QmOsQhoi6V
— Parvina Purkayastha (@Parv05) August 24, 2016
Nightmare to be on the streets of national capital. Despite being a journalist @IndiaToday victim of lewd comments in a prime location
— Parvina Purkayastha (@Parv05) August 24, 2016
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| India Today journalist Parvina Purkayastha caught the men on camera. Photo: Twitter (Parv05) |
The men lived up to the deserved stereotype and did the usual "creepy Dalli boy" thing. They sang crap songs, they made lewd gestures and passed horrible comments. What they didn't know that times have (in a way) changed and that most people don't take this sort of nonsense any more.
Shout out for our reporter @Parv05 who chased down goons who made lewd comments near Andrews Ganj & handed them to the police. Super brave.
— Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) August 25, 2016
Hope their mothers get to see what their beloved sons have been up to. Jerks. Passing lewd comments. Chasing girls. https://t.co/jB7tTRdxia
— Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal) August 25, 2016
MUST WATCH how @Parv05 confronts eve teasers on cam! Lewd comments pasd as she was traveling in office car in national capital says @Parv05
— Revathi Rajeevan (@RevathiRajeevan) August 25, 2016
The question that needs to be asked now is precisely this: if a female journalist from a well known media house can be targeted on the streets of the national capital, what chance do the others really have?
Watch the video below to find out what more happened: