This Assam Cop Laughed At A Protest For The Hathras Victim And Then Passed Insensitive Comments. What Is So Funny About Rape?

This Assam Cop Laughed At A Protest For The Hathras Victim And Then Passed Insensitive Comments. What Is So Funny About Rape?

By now, I am sure you’ll know all the heinous details of the Hathras rape case. Reading about what happened with the 20-year-old Dalit girl in UP not only brought back horrifying memories of Nirbhaya but it also raised some important questions about the carelessness of our police force and the safety of women in our country. The way the police have handled this case is appalling. What’s worse though is their nonchalant attitude towards rapes and sexual assaults. This became crystal clear after reports surfaced of a cop laughing and making insensitive comments at a protest held in Assam seeking justice for the Hathras rape victim. More than being offended at his behaviour, I was alarmed at his indifference. 

If I am being honest, the Hathras rape really shook me up. As glad as I am that people are protesting and campaigning, online and offline, for justice, I can’t seem to stop thinking about what happened with that girl and how the police went far out of their way to cover the rapist’s tracks. The Hathras rape protest is happening when people are scared to step out of their homes, so it means so much more. This is a case where the ones supposed to be keeping us safe are the ones doing the exact opposite. Why was the victim cremated in the dead of the night by the UP police without the consent of her family? Why was the fact that she was raped not in the police reports? They really botched up this case and it’s not the first time. My faith in our police was already shaking when this incident in Assam only made things worse. 

You see, according to a report in the Telegraph, a policeman from Assam was laughing at the protest that was being held for the Hathras victim. Women protesters had gathered at the Rotary Club in Guwahati on Saturday. When the police personnel was confronted by the protesters and asked why he was behaving in such a non-serious manner, the policeman brushed it off by saying he laughs all the time and there is nothing to be serious about. He went so far as to tell the protesters that shouldn’t be so concerned about the rape since it happened in UP and not Assam. The Hathras rape protest has given us nothing to laugh about but no one told this guy that. 

https://www.facebook.com/mayuri.deka.9/posts/3445567912149032

Someone, please tell me what the hell is so funny about a rape protest? If men like him are responsible for our safety we might as well start carrying ten cans of pepper spray wherever we go. I don’t know whether to shake my head in disappointment or be extremely alarmed. I think I will do both. This incident came to light when one of the protestors, Mayuri Deka, posted it on Facebook. 

Oh wait, his behaviour gets worse. After the policeman continued his inappropriate behaviour, the protesters asked him if he had a daughter. He replied saying he was unmarried. Then they asked the man whether he had a mother. To which he replied saying, “I was born without a mother. I just fell down on the earth.”  

Okay, this is just offensive. The policeman is blatantly mocking the people who are protesting so that a 20-year-old Dalit girl who was raped and killed, gets justice. Why would he make such horrid comments? The police really need to be held responsible for their actions. How can we feel safe if the people who are supposed to protect us are laughing about rapes? If they don’t see the seriousness, they will never be able to avert the crime. Besides, that cop is insensitive and needs to suspended or worse for his behaviour. 

Also Read: Akshay Kumar And Milind Soman’s Tweets Condemning Hathras Gang Rape Get Backlash For Being Tone-Deaf

Rashmi Rekha Borah, one of the organizers of the two-hour protest, told the Telegraph that, “When we were speaking our mind against the Hathras victim and other similar brutal cases, when we asked for a guarantee… for the safety of our lives by the police, we saw they (police personnel) were smiling mockingly at us. When I asked the police officers present at the site later, the response I got left us shocked. This is the mentality of our protectors of the society, the mentality of the system and mentality of the government, making light of the serious issues such as rape and murder.” 

At least now we know why the state of Assam topped the chart for the rate of crime against women in the country according to the 2019 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. As is obvious from this incident at the Hathras rape protest,  the police simply don’t care. It’s evident that they believe that crimes like rape and murder are something to be joked about and mocked.  This man’s behaviour is a reflection of the mentality harboured by our police officers and our government when it comes to crimes against women. Because why should they do their jobs and protect women when they can stand around and laugh? 

https://thehauterfly.com/lifestyle/four-men-brutally-raped-a-woman-cut-her-tongue-and-attempted-to-kill-her-today-she-died/

Mitali Shah

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