As our country is struggling to fight against rape culture, it is sad how neither a 2-year-old nor 26-year-old nor 60-year-old is safe. Recently, Hathras gang-rape left many heartbroken. The judge Neerja Dadhich’s poem – Iss Desh Ko Beti Dene Se Bhaghwaan Bhi Ghabhrayega – captures the pain so beautifully.
We hadn’t overcome the shock of what happened to Nirbhaya, Asifa, Disha, Unnao, and many more. And recently, the rape-murder of the 20-year-old Hathras, UP shook us again.
Though many of us are trying to find words to express anger, grief, and sadness; Judge Neerja Dadhich found an apt way to express the same few months back.
While giving the death penalty to a 22-year-old man accused of raping a 3-year-old-girl, she recited a very emotional and hard-hitting poem.
At IFORHER, we feel this poem captures the pain and anger of every woman in our country so powerfully:
Woh masoom naazuk bachchi, ek aangan ki kali thi,
Woh maa-baap ki aankhon ka taara thi, armaanon se pali thi.Jiski masoom adaaon se maa-baap ka din ban jaata tha,
Jiski ek muskaan ke aage pathar bhi moum ban jaata tha.Voh masoom bachchi theek se bol nahi paati thi,
Dikhaa ke jiski masoomiyat udaasi bhi muskaan ban jaati thi.Jisne jeevan ke keval teen basant hi dekhe the,
Uspar yeh annyay hua. Yeh kaise vidhi ke lekhe the?Ek teen saal ki beti par yeh kaisa atyachaar hua?
Ek bachchi ko darindo se bacha na sake, yeh kaise mulk itna laachar hua?Uss bachhi par kitna zulm hua, woh kitna royi hogi.
Mera hi kaleja fatt jaaata hai, toh maa kaise soyi hogi?Jis masoom ko dekh kar mann mein pyaar umad kar aata hai,
Dekh ussi ko kuch ke mann mein haiwaan utar aata hai.Kapdon ke kaaran hote rape jo kahein, unhein batlaun main,
Aakhir teen saal ki bachchi ko, saree kaise pehnaun main?Gar ab bhi na sudhre toh ek din aisa aayega,
Iss desh ko beti dene se bhaghwaan bhi ghabhrayega.
At IFORHER, we salute every woman who is raising her voice against abuse. If you know of someone who is fighting hard to make this country safer for women and kids, do let us know so that we can celebrate their efforts. Let’s make the country safer for women before its too late!