In 1992, a woman in Rajasthan’s conservative heartland openly battled against sexual harassment for the first time. Here is the story of Bhanwari Devi.
Many women activists and icons have risen from India’s rape culture. Among them is Bhanwari Devi, a victim of gang rape in 1992. She inspires women to fight for their rights as an embodiment of sheer courage and conviction. But the absurdity of the situation is that, despite receiving several prizes, accolades, and leadership positions at all levels, her most fundamental desire, justice, remains unmet!
The Story Of The Icon, Bhanwari Devi:
Bhanwari’s disagreements with the rural community began in 1992 when she began working on the issue of child marriage. She and her fellow ‘saathins’ organised door-to-door campaigns to educate their neighbours about the dangers of underage marriage. When she, a Kumhar (lower-caste) woman, sought to persuade Ram Karan Gujar and his (upper-caste) family to oppose the wedding of their 1-year-old daughter, things went sour.
This proposal caused widespread opposition and animosity by 40 (Gujar) of 100 households. To prevent juvenile weddings, the DSP and SDO began making rounds in the area. They were successful in avoiding the 1-year-old child’s marriage, but only for a day. The girl was married the following day, and there was no police action.
Punished For Doing Her Job:
Following this occurrence, the entire community socially ostracised Bhanwari and her husband. They destroyed her fields and took the fodder. The Gujar community was told not to sell their items to Bhanwari or to buy from her. Those who attempted to assist her were threatened by the Gujars and forced to withdraw their support. Bhanwari and her husband worked in the fields one day when Ram Karan Gujar and four other Gujar men came up to them and beat her husband. They tied her down and gang-raped her in turns as she protested.
Humiliation of Bhanwari Devi:
Bhanwari informed her co-worker of the rape, and the two of them went to the police station to file a police report. The DSP and Thanedar reacted to the situation with suspicion and disinterest. They made fun of her, asking things like, “Do you even know what rape is?” They only agreed to file her FIR after hours of humiliation.
Later they took Bhanwari to the PHC for a medical examination. PHC’s doctor refused to examine her and directed her to Jaipur’s SMS hospital. The doctors demanded an “order from the magistrate” to conduct the checkup when she arrived at the hospital.
When the director of the DWCD applied pressure on the police, things began to move. The medical examination took place 48 hours later (Indian law mandates within 24 hours), and the magistrate had ordered a ‘general’ medical analysis rather than rape. According to the medical report, Bhanwari’s injuries was by a blunt instrument.
Then returned Bhanwari and her husband to Bassithana, where she must submit her Lehanga as proof. Bhanwari had no choice but to cover herself with her husband’s blood-stained turban as they went 3 kilometres to the nearest’ saathin’s’ residence at 1 a.m.
The Hero We Abandoned:
Bhanwari’s neighbours accused her of lying and manufacturing the incident, and they continued to boycott her as they had done before. However, she received a lot of support from various women’s rights organisations.
They convened a meeting with the locals to review the facts of the occurrence, but most of them opposed her. In the village, there were a few supporters, but they were all secret supporters.
Finally, the court found the defendants not guilty, claiming, among other things, that Bhanwari’s husband could not have stood watching it all. “An upper-caste guy could not have polluted himself by raping a lower-caste woman,” the judge reasoned.
“a middle-aged man from an Indian community could not possibly have been involved in a gang rape in the presence of his own nephew” were among the judge’s other arguments.
Foundation For A New Law:
The media covered the case, and it earned women activists’ recognition and support. It became clear to civil society that sexual harassment was affecting working women worldwide, not just Bhanwari Devi. The Supreme Court issued the Vishakha recommendations five years later, in 1997.
It is the first time the civil association has grasped and accepted the notion that “workplaces must be kept safe for women” and that “employers must safeguard female employees at all times.” In 2013, the Vishakha guidelines became the Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Work (POSH) Act.
The Endless Wait For Justice:
Bhanwari’s case is a benchmark moment in the Indian constitution since it deals with denial of justice and a fair investigation. It exposes the appalling facts of India’s socio-political systems and the widespread corruption in our institutions. Furthermore, it depicts how the power nexus, which acts on caste, class, and gender hierarchies, oppresses minorities in our society.
Twenty-nine years have passed, and her rapists continue to walk free. Twenty-nine years and she still awaits justice. However, she is still engaged in social justice and works with several women’s organisations to empower and encourage voiceless women. All the clichés in our vernacular can’t begin to describe her. She is true grit, an enthusiastic activist, and a beam of hope.
