Thursday, July 19, 2007

Missed Congeniality?

Everyone, at least in India has been ‘exposed’ to the story of Pooja Chauhan, a woman in her early twenties who shed her clothes (well almost!) in protest against Police inaction on her alleged long sufferings related predictably to dowry harassment and domestic abuse.

The news and the picture, in particular, have been sensational as has been the reactions.

Sample these…

Her husband should be hanged!” said one enraged lady from Chennai.

Shame on us!” screamed another from Hyderabad.

What amazing courage…” exalted someone from Australia.

I'm shocked that you published her picture. I just can't believe it!!!!” said a spoilt sport from Bangalore.

Why bother! This is India! Nude protests in Manipur changed nothing. Lots of humanists and public liberty enthusiasts saw the pics and masturbated. You also put this news item because it sells!” said one frustrated soul from where else but Kolkata.

This woman is a fraud. We must all raise our voice against the misuse of 498A by unscrupulous and shameless women like this. The Indian family is under great threat due to bogus laws like 498A.” pontified someone from Noida.

I'm sure she is PROSTITUTE!” thundered a crusader for Man’s Right.

Couldn’t she have at least matched her undergarments?" huffed one Page 3 beauty over a socialite encrusted lunch.

So what’s the latest? The papers said she was 'encouraged' to choose this form of protest by some of the local newspapers that promised to give ‘full coverage’ if she went out with ‘less coverage’. Irony? Plus her husband has alleged that she wasn't harassed at all and that she is of 'questionable morality' (how typically Indian!).

Now, the truth probably would never emerge in midst of allegations and counter allegations but what would surely happen is a full bodied (oops!) bollywood potboiler titled “Ander Ki Baat -The Inside Story" starring Pooja herself since her now widely published pictures have high recall. And I must say she is attractive. Sigh! Who would have cared so much for an unaesthetic middle-aged matron with cellulite, varicose and stretch marks?

6 comments:

Rambler said...

Actually apart from us real people out here, nobody seem to bothered about the truth. Neither the media not the victims themselves seem to be bothered about the problem. The victim is projected as to be enjoying all the attention she is getting.

DreamCatcher said...

Rambler: From where I see, everyone stands to gain here.

The 'victim' gets enough attention to demand justice in case her allegations are true. In case they are not, she stands to gain even more!

The so called 'social issues' like dowry harassment and domestic violence got adequate publicity. Not that anyone is going to do anything about it but still it never hurts to remind the public…

The media went berserk trying to get the ‘news’ first to cash in on the sensation. Nothing catches the public imagination more than a woman willing to shed clothes in her fight for justice (amen!)

The public bushed with the TV soaps and reality shows, this was ‘total paisa wasool’!

Well...you see, we are having too much fun to care about the truth...

Shreyasi Deb said...

I just so much agree with you about the effect on society....hindi movie

Moushumi said...

BTW isnt it the police to be blamed rather than the in-laws- I mean the law would have decided whether the latter r guilty r not- but arent the Police supposed to register of complaints of harrassment- its bcos they refused to do what they r supposed to do -that all of this happened- surprisingly no is talking abt THEM

DreamCatcher said...

SD: eh hindi movie indeed!

Mou: you know, you got a point there...but police inaction or misaction is something so common, no one worries about it anymore...maybe we should start to think about it...

Anonymous said...

Nice post. Here's one angle I heard from Chennai's own tabloid - deccan chronicle - Apparently the presswallah's refused to air the story unless she agreed to a semi-nude protest