French Woman Marie-Helene Was Arrested For Stripping At The Lakshman Jhula In Rishikesh But Her Reasons Are Confusing. We’re Not Sure How It Was Relevant.
India is a land rich in spirituality, dialects and beliefs. It is a place with plenty and the same has been known to everyone around the world. With people making trips to find themselves, to learn more about divinity and peace, India could quite easily become the landmark for all things discovery. And while on one end it is famous for its history and heritage, on the other hand, it is infamous for the oppression and patriarchy, almost as legendary as its history.
And somehow caught in the crossfire of these two extremes that are our country, was a French woman named Marie-Helene who is facing charges under the internet laws after posting footage of herself on the Lakshman Jhula. The sacred bridge that is known for being the passage crossed by God Shri Ram, his wife Sita and brother, Laxman while going up to the Ganges river, has always been regarded as one of the most sacred places for Indians. Which is why, when Marie-Helene decided to strip on the bridge, it didn’t sit right with the people and authorities.
Detained on Thursday, the woman was released on bail and her phone was confiscated. Facing a punishment upto 3 years if found guilty of violating the internet laws, Marie Helene has found herself in quite a fix following her confusing stunt. As revealed by the head of the police station where the Frenchwoman was arrested, “She told us that she was selling pearl necklaces online, and that the video was intended to promote her business.”
https://twitter.com/News_234/status/1300324944258068480
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French woman apologises for Rishikesh Lakshman Jhula video, denies being naked https://t.co/hncjwTOh6g
— Netamaker (@netamakerIndia) August 31, 2020
Where as on the other hand, a conflicting statement has also surfaced. In a different statement to the AFP, she said, “I chose to partially uncover on Lakshman Jhula because each time I crossed the bridge I felt I was being harassed… My Indian sisters and fellow female travelers surely have experienced the same. The main goal was to help oppressed women in the country to access education and to leave abusive marriages or situations, where there are no other options or help.”
However, what we and clearly the authorities find extremely difficult to wrap our heads around is why the woman would choose to make herself be heard by stripping, or semi-stripping or whatever state of undress she was in. Not sure whether she was trying to promote her business or the idea of freeing woman from oppression, but either way, her decision to strip on a bridge in Rishikesh still has us completely baffled for we’re not sure how her actions were to support either of the causes.
The head of the Police station, R.K. Saklani further stated how, “Maybe in France these things are not considered objectionable, But Rishikesh is a holy place and the Lakshman Jhula is the place where (Hindu gods) Ram, his brother Lakshman and wife Sita crossed the Ganges.” Meanwhile, Marie-Helene has issued an apology for her actions as she said, “The first thing I want to say is that I am sorry my actions hurt the local community. I was lacking awareness on cultural specificities.”
