Rapes, chowmein and hormonal imbalance! What’s the connection?

Looks like the Khaps in Haryana Panchayat are running short of ideas to explain the rise in the number of rape cases in the state. 17 rape cases were registered in the last one month - a number a lot less than an incredible 60 in a month recorded last year. The predominantly chauvinist society that sees women responsible for inciting rapes has now come with a ridiculous analysis. "To my understanding, consumption of fast food contributes to such incidents. Chowmein leads to hormonal imbalance evoking an urge to indulge in such acts," said thua khap panchayat leader Jitender Chhatar, a resident of Jind`s Chhatar village.

By coming up with such a mind boggling reason, Chhatar only proved that he has the least intellect to understand that rape is a heinous crime, for otherwise he could not have been making such bizarre statements to defend a man’s urge for forceful sex. “You also know the impact of chowmein, which is a spicy food, on our body. Hence, our elders also advised to consume light and nutritious food,” Chhatar added. If according to Chhatar, consuming chowmein leads to hormonal imbalance thereby triggering a man’s sexual urge and turning him into a rapist, then shouldn’t China be leading in the number of rapists in the world!!! Time and again, the Khaps have come up with weird justifications favouring the rapists and holding the rape victim responsible for the unpardonable crime. I really wonder how they can shamelessly come up with such preposterous statements! Not too long ago, the Khaps were in news for saying that girls as young as 15 years of age must be married off, to avoid rapes. And by saying so, they only put their chivalry to test. And the chivalrous Khaps found support in former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala, who too showed solidarity with the rural “law-makers” and “law-keepers”. Haryana Congress president Phool Chand Mullana even tried to tag these rape cases as “political conspiracy” aimed at slinging mud at the Congress government in the state. And in a desperate attempt to show support to the rape victims, Congress president Sonia Gandhi paid a visit to a 15-year old sexually abused girl’s house in the Jind district. Her rendezvous with the family supposedly promised justice to the victim and the harshest of punishments to the culprit. Mrs Gandhi could have sought a much better resolution and taken steps that could translate her statements into reality. Instead of ensuring safety for women in the state, khaps and politicos have been making bizarre statements that are testimony to their irresponsible behaviour. The government has only shown dismal failure in giving justice to its women citizens. Leave alone justice, women have been embarrassed and shamed to the core. Haryana Pardesh Congress committee (HPCC) member Dharamvir Goyat had said, "If we go into the details of rape cases and abductions, it is found that victims and accused in 90% of cases are runaway couples. So the cases are consensual.” Now coming back to the “chowmein” angle to a rape, does Chhatar even realize how stupid a statement it is and its consequences? He is being unjust and unkind. Perhaps he is least bothered about the plight of women in his community and hence such idiocy. And with such absurd remarks, powerful people in the state have only showed how helpless they are in putting a check on crimes and putting their offices in order. So what does the Haryana government intend to do now? Ban all fast food joints in the state? Or setting up an examination center for men that can determine the percentage of their sexual urge? How are they indeed going to act to cease atrocities on the Haryanvi women? Or will Mrs Sonia Gandhi keep driving to and fro to Haryana? No matter what they do, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda must act fast and ask his Khaps to watch their mouths the next time they show their expertise in analyzing rape cases. Hooda has a big task in hand before the Khaps testify to be an answer to Afghanistan’s Taliban.