INDIA ELSEWHERE

PROLOGUE: April 13, 2018: Union Minister for Women & Child Development, Maneka Gandhi demands death penalty for those who rape children under 12. April 21, 2018: Cabinet approves death for rape of girls under 12 years. Did you notice the difference when you first heard it? It was an old story that an Indian man can’t be raped. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance only rubber-stamped the fact that he can’t be raped even when he is 11 years old. PART-IV: Womanhunter I don't claim to know any solution nor I claim to be someone who can really sympathize with a rape survivor or who can understand the psychology of a person who rapes someone. Usually my mind remains engrossed in how far we think whenever we think about the two persons concerned- the survivor and the perpetrator. For perpetrator, much of outrage (which is justified) demands the Capital Punishment and we give them tags like wahashi , darinda , and prescribe remedies like forced marriage, death by...

It has been more than seven years since I coined the term- bollyphobia (August 2010). It is quite clear by its name what it means. It is not a misnomer like homophobia, which often gives an incorrect notion of fear (phobos, the Greek word for "fear"  or "morbid fear")  for LGBT people instead of what it has actually been used for- hate, prejudice, violence, abuse and discrimination based on sexual orientation. Bollyphobia simply means a strong dislike of what Bollywood creates,  portrays, shows and also, understanding the monumental failure of Bollywood to influence generations after generations in a positive way and its overwhelming success to desensitize the masses about abuse,  rape, eve-teasing, murder and avarice. Not only Bollywood finds the notion to have a sensible and rational mind offensive, it perpetually feeds and showcases all the hatred and discrimination under the cover of Comedy or "Villainship", which the successive generations have imbi...

On Why to Come Out and When not to A few days ago, I was chatting with a friend of mine about the whole Privacy judgement given by honourable Indian Supreme Court which it adjudicated in a rare 9-0 unanimous verdict. And somehow Bollywood producer and director Karan Johar’s name propped up(No, I didn’t bring it up!) I was asked whether and why should a famed Director make his private life public. Indeed being gay or straight is hardly a matter to bring into public affairs. Why should it matter whom someone loves or sleeps with. And it’s a totally personal decision (and risk) to come out as an LGBT person to the world or not. Both situations and arguments in this regard are valid and sound. They are- 1) It’s basically how you are, so why should you be forced to hide it? This is ‘I am not ashamed, neither am I a criminal’ argument. On the contrary, 2) It’s your personal life, so why should you be forced to blow your trumpet and announce it on a public platform? This is ‘...