Besharmi Morcha, Indianised version of SlutWalk

India is all set to witness a Indianised version of SlutWalk called “Besharmi Morcha”. It was scheduled for the 25th June in Delhi but it is postponed until the last week of July. Will it happen ever? God only knows. It has already triggered a lot of media debate on whether such protests are appropriate to India or not.

SlutWalk or Besharmi Morcha is not about women going out in skimpy and provocative dress and declaring that they are proud to be sluts but it is a protest against sexual violence in Delhi. Many believe that SlutWalk will bring a change in the mindsets about women’s status in the Indian society.

Why is it in Delhi?

Delhi is the most unsafe cities in the country reporting at least one rape in every 18 hrs. Recently Delhi is named as the Rape Capital of India. Since the city lost its image due to its growing number of reported rapes, the organizers feel that this is the right place to kick start the event in India.

What was the reason for the first SlutWalk?

SlutWalk originally started on April 3, 2011 in Toronto, Canada as a feminist response to the remarks of a Police officer, Constable Michael Sanguinetti, on women’s safety. He said “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised.” Later on it became a global movement and many countries held their own form of protests in skimpy and provocative dresses to gain the right to dress according to their choice.

SlutWalk in India

In India, SlutWalk or Besharmi Morcha is not for getting the right to dress according to our choice but it is a protest against sexual violence. In India, women don’t have to dress provocatively to invite rape,molestation or eve-teasing but your very existence is more than enough.

What will be dress code for the Besharmi Morcha?

The dress code of the participants is becoming a big question as the common notion is that one has to be dressed in skimpy clothes to participate in Besharmi Morcha. Umang Sabarwal, a 19 year old Delhi University student and the organizer of the first SlutWalk in New Delhi, India says “Everyone is expected to wear clothes that they would wear even outside the Walk”.

I feel that this movement is very appropriate to a place like New Delhi since the place is already created an impression that no woman is safe there. More over, if the growing rate of rape is due to the dress code of the women, the Indian men are nothing less than stupid horny jerks.

It is high time to think about the safety of women in a country like India. Mostly the northern parts of the country is more unsafe than the rest. Women should be free enough to walk alone at time of the day or night without the staring look of a man. Hope this movement will bring some change in the mindset of the men in India.