A Dreamlike Descent into the ‘Rape Capital of the World’
Protests, Placards, and a Singular Moral Lens
When Hunger, Healthcare, and Unemployment Are Dismissed
The Politics of Selective Compassion
Rapeland’s March to the Parliament of Wonderland
Satire as Social Critique
Justice Markandey Katju’s satirical essay “Alice in Rapeland” critiques selective outrage and the neglect of poverty, hunger, healthcare, and unemployment.
Alice in Rapeland
By Justice Markandey Katju
Once upon a time, a little girl called Alice was dozing one summer afternoon on a meadow when she saw a strange sight. A white rabbit wearing a blue coat was running on its hind legs, looking at his watch and saying “I am late”. Alice got up and ran after him, but the rabbit jumped into a hole in the ground. Alice followed the rabbit into the hole, and she fell and fell, until she landed with a loud thump on some soft ground, somewhere far below.
Alice looked around and saw a huge signboard on which it was written in large letters, ''Welcome to the rape capital of the world''.
She got up and saw a strange sight. A group of young, well-dressed and apparently well-fed women were shouting before a High Court, carrying placards on which were written “Hang the rapists", ‘Castrate all men’, ‘Stone them to death’, etc. These women had gheraoed the High Court building.
Alice asked the protestors what the matter was about and why they were so agitated. They replied that they were against an order granting bail by the High Court to an ex-MLA who allegedly had raped a girl.
These women then marched to a place called Jantar Mantar to protest there, and Alice silently followed the marvellous procession. At one place a small girl in tatters came upto the procession and asked for some bread as he was hungry.
“Get lost” said one of the young ladies, “Hunger is nonsense. The only real issue in the world is rape. Have you been raped?”. “No”, replied the child,” but I have not eaten for two days”. The ladies retorted, “Then you have no problem. The only problem in the world is rape. Hunger is Maya, an illusion, as Vedanta philosophy teaches. The only reality is rape. So buzz off".
The procession then moved on, with Alice following.
They then came across a poor woman carrying a sick child in her arms. She begged for some money to buy medicines for her child. “Have you been raped?”, asked the processionists. “No” she replied “But my child is sick and may die without medicines”. “You have no problem since you have not been raped” said the ladies, “Healthcare is a frivolous and insignificant issue. The only real issue in the world is rape”, and saying so moved on.
They then came across an unemployed young man and asked him whether he had been raped. He replied in the negative, but added that he had a masters degree from a University but was prepared to do even a peon’s job so that he may survive. They cursed him for speaking such trivial nonsense, and told him to muck off.
In this way the procession went towards a building on which it was written in large letters '' Parliament of Wonderland', with the processionists, who were shouting slogans against rape, intending to gherao the Parliament building.
They were frequently accosted on the way by persons who raised issues other than rape, like massive unemployment, skyrocketing prices, widespread child malnutrition, large-scale farmers' suicide, lack of healthcare for the masses, etc.
But the processionists brushed these persons aside with derision and ridicule, saying that they were raising trifling issues when the issue of rape was the only matter worthy of consideration, as it was a matter of life and death for the whole human race, while others were trivialities.
After some time, the processionists came across another group of women who had angrily blocked their path. “Please join us” said the processionists, “We are fighting for a common cause”.
“And what is that cause?” asked the blockaders.
The processionists said, “Our cause is that we want people to forget poverty, price rise, healthcare, malnutrition, farmers' suicide, etc, as these are trivial matters, and declare that the only real issue in the world is rape”.
“Do you even know what level has unemployment reached in India? Do you know the prices of foodstuffs, which are touching the sky? Do you even know how impossible it has become to feed our families? Do you know the situation of healthcare for poor people in India?”, asked the blockaders.
The processionists, who appeared to be well-fed and well-dressed ladies, said “ No, but those who ask such questions are mischievous rascals, and politically motivated.
On hearing this, the blockaders fell on the processionists with lathis, fisticuffs, etc, and this violent scene made Alice wake up, and realize she was dreaming.
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of the Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own.)
