Open Letter to Abhijit Mukherjee

Dear Mr. Abhijit Mukherjee,

Thank you for withdrawing your statement about ‘dented and painted women who can’t be students’ and since they ‘visit discotheques’ they have ‘no right’ to protests against rape. However, I wish to ask you why you made the statement in the first place?

You have said that you were merely echoing the views of your constituency. Is that what it was, Mr. Mukherjee, or were you just trying to get people’s attention away from the massive debacle of your party’s government in Delhi? If you did mean it, and I don’t want to believe that you did, I think I know why you had your sister apologizing on your behalf – perhaps that is what you have been taught. But unfortunately we dented, painted and disco-going women are not like you sister. We are not going to apologize either for the mistakes of our male relatives or for our (perfectly legal) choice of  lifestyle.

When you retracted your words because you did not want to hurt anyone, I believed you. I don’t think you wanted to hurt the feelings of another human being because either you don’t look at women as humans or you were just trying to distract the nation from the relentless efforts of the anti-rape protestors in Delhi. I’m not much of a believer in conspiracy theories but I have no other explanation for why Congress and UPA-affiliated politicians have suddenly let loose their inner perverts – I say perverts because the idea of viewing a woman as an object or a property to be owned is root thought which later manifests into actions of violence.

I am afraid of this inner pervert that you possess because you are powerful enough, being the son of the Honorable President of India, to afford to let it out. You can afford to be apathetic to the fear that women live with every day. You don’t have to be afraid of walking down the street the moment the sun sets. We dented and painted women do. Protesting against this fear, protesting for our freedom and right to be treated just as human as the next guy, is something students do and if they don’t then there is something horribly wrong with what we’re teaching our children.

However, since you have apologized (for reasons known best only to you and your high command), would you please be a dear and lend us, dented and painted women, some of the armed guards you are entitled to as an elected representative? It would be a great service to the nation. Also, while you’re at it, you might want to ask your constituents what they feel before claiming to represent their feelings in the national media.

Sincerely,

Dented, Painted and Disco-Going Woman.

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