The Hindu Business Line : Gory definitions from a Bill in limbo

The Bill's `Statement of Objects and Reasons' rues how it is unfortunate that girls and women are vulnerable in our society and teasing and molesting them is the order of the day, be it a public place or public transport.

AMONG the scores of Bills listed as `of 2003' in Rajya Sabha's site, nine out of 10 are at the `introduced' stage, and only a handful have gone over to the `passed' domain. With a Government in limbo, preoccupied as it is with elections, one can expect little legislative activity to happen; and depending on the political priorities of the new team of members that would take up the reins of government, some of these Bills may never see the light of the day, and go to the `lapsed' land.

Bimba Raikar's name gets credit for introduction of two Bills. One is to amend Section 19 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, "to give justice to the helpless wife" by clarifying as to "whether the last residence should be together or separate" when seeking relief from the Court.

The other is "The Women and Girls (Prevention of Stripping, Teasing, Molestation, Branding as Witches and Offering as Devadasis) Bill, 2003." About the second Bill, here are some details.

It begins thus: "A Bill to provide for the prevention and prohibition of stripping and parading the women or girls naked in public view, teasing, molestation, outraging modesty and branding and killing them as witches and offering as Devadasis and for deterrent punishment for such offences and making these offences as cognisable and non-bailable and for matters connected therewith."

The downloadable PDF version of the Bill is in a truncated form, like an unfinished story, but has definitions of some words that accost us too routinely in the crime pages of newspapers. There are gory details, however, so watch out.

What is "molesting"? While your online dictionary may explain it as "disturbing, interfering with, or annoying," the Bill defines the word as "patting, touching, meddling forcibly or injuriously with the body of girl or woman, as the case may be, in violation of her sentiments, or her rights."

Likewise, "stripping" includes forcibly removing or tearing of any cloth or part thereof worn by a girl or women with intention of exposing the body of such a woman or girl, as the case may be.

And "teasing" includes uttering any words, song, making any sound like whistle or gesture or exhibiting any object or part of the body, throwing any object without causing injury or doing any act to attract the attention of the girl or woman, as the case may be, thereby intentionally annoying such a girl or woman.

"Eve teasers have become fearless. They not only pass vulgar remarks and whistle on them, but sometimes they meddle hastily with them causing injuries and unfortunately the general public instead of coming to the rescue of hapless woman or girl being teased or molested become mute spectators."

It also notes how in some cases "women were paraded naked due to land disputes or the victims had resisted some harassment or had tried to report to the police and in one incident women were forced to dance naked during Holi festival."

It would be interesting to know that Raikar is only revisiting an area that was trodden by Suresh Pachouri in 1991 and 1996, and by Savitry Devi Nigam in 1958.

However, for both those Bills, the entry under `Status' column reads, "Lapsed on Rajya Sabha." Does a similar fate await this Bill too?

ExParte@thehindu.co.in

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Gory definitions from a Bill in limbo

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