RAPE CULTURE

— A Personal Reflection

Yaad hai jab hum first standard mein the, toh hume sabse pehle sikhaya gaya tha gaay par nibandh — "Gaay hamari mata hai, gaay ke chaar pair hote hain, gaay doodh deti hai..." Bachpan mein hum in baaton ko bina kisi sawaal ke sach maan lete the. Dheere-dheere bade hue, bahut kuch dekha, bahut kuch seekha, lekin in sab ke beech apni masoomiyat aur bholapan hi kho diya. Har cheez mein swarth dekhne lage, doosron se cheating karne lage aur apni marzi ko hi sab kuch samajhne lage. Jo baatein kabhi humare charitra ka hissa honi chahiye thi, woh dheere-dheere sirf kagazon aur kitaabon tak simat kar reh gayin.

Baatein thodi kathin lag sakti hain, lekin vinamra nivedan hai ki unhe khule man se samajhne ki koshish kariyega — kya hum sach mein insaan hain ya janvaar? Aapne dekha hai kitne kathor ho gaye hain hum? Bachpan mein kitne masoom the, lekin aaj kitne nirdayi ho gaye hain. Bachpan se padhte aaye hain ki gaay hamari mata hai, gaay doodh deti hai, lekin kya aapne kabhi doodh ki kahani ko samajhne ki koshish ki hai?

Kya aapne kabhi gaushalon ya dairy farms mein jaakar dekha hai ki doodh ke peeche ki prakriya kya hai? Apni maa ke saath bhala koi aisa vyavhaar karta hai? Woh baat alag thi jab pashupalan keval ek vyavsaay nahi, balki ek zimmedari bhi hua karta tha. Udaharan ke liye lijiye — gaon ke kisi ghar mein agar do gaay aur do bail hote the, toh bailon ki sahayata se khet jote jaate the aur gaayon ke doodh se ghar ke logon ka gujara aur thodi punji ka madhyam banta tha. Gaay aur bail dono ko parivaar ki tarah rakha jaata tha.

Ab zara vichaar kijiye. Aaj humari abaadi kitni badh gayi hai, doodh ghar-ghar tak pahunchaya ja raha hai, aur kheton mein bhi bailon ki jagah tractors ne le li hai. Ab yahan gaur kariyega — jab doodh ki supply itni adhik hai, toh jo science jaante hain woh yeh bhi jaante honge ki kisi bhi species mein doodh ka nirmaan keval pregnancy ke dauraan aur uske baad hi hota hai. Isliye gaayon ko niyamit antaral par garbh dharan karwaya jata hai taaki ve doodh deti rahein.

Ab aur suniye. Jab gaay pregnant hogi toh calf bhi aayega. Agar calf female hui toh use rakha jaata hai taaki woh badi hokar phir se doodh de sake. Lekin kai sthitiyon mein jo male calves hote hain, unka bhavishya utna surakshit nahi hota. Male calves aur jo gaaye doodh dena band kar deti hain, unhe aksar kasai khanon mein bech diya jata hai. Wahan unke sharir se bhi paise kamaye jate hain aur kai baar unka meat videshon tak export kiya jata hai. Ab aap hi bataiye — bachpan se hume sikhaya gaya ki "gaay hamari mata hai", lekin kya koi apni maa ke saath aisa vyavhaar karta hai?

Yakeen maaniye, ghar, parivaar aur samaj aksar hume in baaton ko nazarandaaz karna sikhate hain. Lekin jab tak hum jeevon ko keval unki upyogita aur sharir ke aadhar par dekhte rahenge, tab tak yahi soch humare samaj ke anya pehluon mein bhi dikhai degi. Jab hum kisi jeev ko sirf ek saadhan ke roop mein dekhte hain, toh dheere-dheere hum insaanon ko bhi usi nazar se dekhna shuru kar dete hain. Humari generation jo dekh rahi hai, wahi seekh rahi hai.

Aur shayad yahin se baat keval pashuon tak seemit nahi rehti, kahin na kahin uski parchhai humare samaj mein bhi nazar nahi aati? Jab kisi jeev ka moolya uske astitva se nahi, balki uski upyogita aur sharir se tay kiya jata hai, tab shoshan janm leta hai.

Milk industry mein gaay ko aksar ek jeev ke roop mein nahi, balki doodh utpadan ke saadhan ke roop mein dekha jata hai. Uske sharir ki upyogita hi uska moolya tay karti hai. Isi tarah rape culture bhi kisi mahila ko ek sampoorn insaan ke roop mein nahi, balki ek sharir ke roop mein dekhne ki mansikta se janm leta hai.

Dono ek jaise nahi hain, lekin dono ki jad mein ek hi vichar chhupa hua nazar aata hai — kisi jeev ya vyakti ko uski chetna, uske dard aur uski swatantrata se pehle uske sharir aur uski upyogita se dekhna. Jab hum kisi jeev ko sirf istemal karne ki vastu samajhne lagte hain, tab karuna marne lagti hai aur shoshan saamanya lagne lagta hai.

Isliye mera prashn doodh ya gaay tak seemit nahi hai. Mera prashn us mansikta se hai jo jeevan ko samman dene ke bajay uska upyog karna sikhati hai.

Vinamra vinanti hai aap sabse, agar aap doodh chhod nahi sakte aur aapko lagta hai ki doodh peena aapke liye avashyak hai, toh kam se kam itna toh kijiye ki baaki ki doodh se bani woh cheezen jo keval swaad aur taste pleasure ke liye hain — jaise mithaiyan, ice cream, lassi aadi — unhe chhodne ya kam karne ka prayas kijiye. Har chhota kadam bhi ek kadam hota hai.

Aakhir mein nirnay aapka hai. Mera uddeshya kisi par apni baat thopna nahi, balki kewal itna hai ki hum sab milkar apne faislon par thoda aur imaandari se vichar kar saken.

Author's Note

The reflections, observations, and analyses presented in this article represent the intellectual work of Shivam Advait. This article is offered as a contribution to thoughtful inquiry and reflection. Readers are encouraged to engage with its contents critically, independently, and in a spirit of open dialogue.

— Shivam Advait