Snippets from Two News Posts from The Telegraph, Metro, Friday, January 3,
2014.
Incident 1.
Threat of rape at doorstep
- Terror
and trauma stalk two women, one molested in front of husband & another
nearly ‘taught a lesson’
A young
mother was molested in front of her husband near their house at the Rifle Range
Road-Broad Street crossing last Sunday night. Two days later, she and her
family were hounded to drop the case.
“Tum
logon ko jo karna tha kar liya, ab hum logon ko jo karna hai hum karenge (You
have done what you had to, now we will do what we have to),” they said and
hurled threats of murder.
I was too
shocked to react. It happened in my own para
where I have been living for the past eight years. It was around 10pm and
roads were not deserted either. There were people at the eatery close to our
house. Yet, four men dared to molest and assault me.
Incident 2:
Peril on party street
Paromita
Ghoshal, a 27-year-old BPO executive from Behala, was “almost kidnapped” by a
taxi driver on Park Street on Wednesday for refusing to pay him Rs 50 more than
the fare. The incident happened when Calcutta’s party street was teeming with
New Year revellers around 9.30pm. Timely intervention by her brother Satya
Rahul and two bikers saved her from… she shudders to think what could have
happened. After taxi driver Umesh Prasad Yadav was arrested and charged with kidnapping, policemen asked her
what she was doing on Park Street at night.
He turned
towards me and said: “Chalo phir aapko ek achchhi
jagah le chalte hain. Phir aapko sabak milega (Come, let me take you
to a good place. Then you will learn a lesson).” He started the cab and sped
towards Park Circus.
I have been visiting Park
Street with my parents and then my friends since childhood. I have returned alone after partying
past midnight. The incident has shaken me so much that I won’t be able to board
a taxi alone again.
PostScript:
There are
only two Phrases from the above incidents which can give us a clear picture of
what would our future be in our own Home State...Please note
1.
My own para.
2.
Since childhood.
Yes,
this is our West Bengal that we knew or have known but outrageously and most
appallingly it is not what we see today; and more significantly it is not going
to be any better.
It’s time for the Bengalis to think and take a stand before it is too late.
It’s time for the Bengalis to think and take a stand before it is too late.
Because,
tomorrow It might be
You
