Naliya sex scam is tip of the iceberg: What kind of International Women’s Day are we celebrating in Gujarat?

By Dwarika Nath Rath*
8th March, the International Women’s Day, always comes in a year to make firm pledge for the rights of the women. The women all over the world come forward to raise voice against the discrimination of women, sexploitation, which has become the order in the era of liberalization, privatization and globalization or LPG.
The concept of socialist women is becoming a vanishing concept. The historical significance of women’s day is diluted by promoting consumerism and promoting women as sex object by the corporate world. The dignity of working women is purposefully undermined. As May Day is the working class day, so also the 8th March is known as International working women’s day which has been deliberately used as International Women’s Day only. But the honour of women has been shadowed by governments and the corporate world.
In Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating the day in Gandhinagar. He is addressing the elected women sarpanches of India. He wants to celebrate the empowerment of women. Who does not know the women elected sarpanchs are the “yes yes” ones only, devoid of freedom. They are the worst victim of saffronisation, growing communalism and enchained in the so-called sacred spiritual, superstitions by organised holy organisations sponged by the ruling parties.
The slogan of this All-India Sarpanch Sammelan is Swacch Shakti, and what does it imply!
As Prime Minister, Modi is celebrating women’s day, the women of Ahmedabad and in the adjacent places there are facing prohibitory orders issued by the police on procession, meetings, congregation etc. Women’s organisations are not being allowed to celebrate women’s day in public places. The prohibitory order stands till 11th March. So in Ahmedabad there won’t be any public programmes on 8th March or thereafter.
As a matter of fact, it can be termed as the Modi-fied Women’s Day.
Remember, this Modi-fied women’s day is being celebrated in Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinager, in the backdrop of the shameful Naliya sex racket, which has exposed the direct and indirect involvement of hosts of persons belonging to the ruling BJP. Schemes are going on to sabotage enquiry into the racket. An atmosphere is created to scare the 35 women victims of the sex racket, in which about 65 persons are involved. A vigilantism is pursued, such that no one open their mouth.
Naliya sex racket is only tip in the iceberg.
Ironically Modi has not spoken a single word on the Naliya sex racket, though he so enthusiastically tweets on trivial issues.
Under the BJP rule in Gujarat, sexploitation has been rampant, whether it is Patan or Parul, where persons enjoying the clout of the rung party are licensed to commit crime on women. Now this sex racket has come to light. There may be so many Naliyas.
It is a matter of grave concern that sexploitation in Gujarat is becoming an epidemic. There is no sight of cessation. After the exposure of Naliya sex racket, about seven incidents of rape by powerful persons have come lime light only in the district of Kutch.
Several incidents have also been recorded throughout Gujarat within this short span of time about women’s oppression. Why? Perhaps because the predators of sex crimes are enjoying the impunity of the government and the administration. Figures of sex crimes are increasing day by day, but more than 90% of the crimes go unrecorded. The reasons are social as well as those related to fear.
Voices of protest are being gagged, freedom is being suppressed. Women as the second sex are pushed to the market forces.
So wither the women in Gujarat? How safe are they?
And what kind of International Women’s Day are we celebrating in Gujarat?
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*With Socialist Unity Centre of India