Confession Time – Updated on February 13th, 2018

While driving to the office today, I heard this discussion on one of the FM channels – apparently, there is a video clip of a girl being misbehaved with that is grabbing attention across Delhi. I have not seen the clip and don't want to – honestly, is there anything shocking about it? From what I have seen, people in the city are not ready to take up the cause of watching out for each other. The confession is about me too not intervening when the moment called for it. This was somewhere in 2005 – 06. I had just boarded the public transport bus and a seemingly drunk guy was arguing with a lady. There were about 14 – 15 more passengers aboard but none of us intervened when things got more graphic, the altercation escalated into something I hadn’t expected at all. I confess to being a coward at that moment, not standing up for a lady who was obviously the victim there. The conductor at that time takes the cake for re-assuring that people in the city just don't bother to help anyone, his words being “…jab dikh gaya thaa kee yeh aadmee ney pee rakhee hai toh alag baith jaatee”.

Metro: The Last, Save Haven for Women in the City?

This might sound shocking to some of you but to me it makes perfect sense. The recent wave of anguish and helplessness among people and their attempts to protect the women of Delhi got me started thinking if there was a place that could be considered safe within the capital region. Come to think of it, women have been groped, molested, raped and murdered within their homes, offices, public parks and upmarket hang-outs. What does this suggest? Firstly, we, as a city, should stop priding ourselves for living in the capital of India. A city that has its soul bloodied with women and minor girls on an everyday basis just cannot be projected as the