Finally,
the world cup dream of India came to an end with its defeat at the hands of
Australia. This post is not any analysis of factors that led to the result we
have on record now. Most of us are very good experts on this subject matter and
have by now discussed innumerable times and also laid down all their analysis in
great detail before everyone (whoever is even minutely eager to lend their
ears) as to why the result hasn't gone in India’s favor. But for the point for
which I am expressing my thoughts here is the misogyny and vile sexism
manifested in many ways by some people after the defeat.
The
venom being spewed on Anushkha Sharma – the alleged girlfriend of Virat Kohli after
his score of just one run and dropping an easy catch in the world cup semis is repulsive
and truly sordid. Social media sites are abuzz with abusive jokes and nasty
tweets being directed at Anushka.
Potshots at this Bollywood actress make me wonder on how a ladylove of a
teammate can be blamed for the collective failure of the team. It shows a
sickening mindset of the people who are indulging in this disgusting
behavior. Does her being a celebrity
make her more vulnerable to such attacking jibes? Why is it that only she has
been made a soft target when family members, girlfriends and wives of other
team mates must have also been there watching the match. It is no hidden fact
that media and many others love to take a dig at celebrities for everything
they do as obviously it brings them more TRPs. It is okay to crack jokes on
celebrities and stars but are we not treading the thin line between harmless
mockery and nastiness.
This
case is also a reflection of a more appalling and blasphemous approach that we,
especially Indians, adopt when a man fails in his career or in achieving his
personal ambitions. Even in an era where women have made stupendous strides in
every arena, a mindset which is very much dwelling in most households is that-
it is a woman who is to blame for the misery of a family. If a child in a
family grows up to be a black sheep and bring bad name then it is entirely a
mother’s fault as she has completely failed to bring her up with the right
values. Not only this, most of us also think that it is woman’s fault alone if
she gets raped and molested on streets. It is she who invites trouble and
provokes a man to commit the crime. It
is really shocking and difficult to understand the logic when so many people
lay the blame for being raped on women themselves and makes it a reason enough
to take upon the “moral duty” of controlling a woman’s freedom.
Blaming
the wife of a man for change in his behavior after marriage is also something
that we often do to derive entertainment out of other’s personal life. Even Eve was not spared when she is, till
date, blamed for the Fall of Mankind, since it is she who is said to have given Adam
the forbidden fruit of sin. In fact historical and mythological tales has led
us to believe that it is Draupadi, who is the root cause of the epic war of “Mahabharata”.
History abounds with several other instances where it is a single woman or some
females who are to entirely blame for defeats and downfalls.
The
dirty habit of maligning the image of a woman, slandering her for a man’s
failure and fall of a nation has been there since time immemorial and there is
little hope that things will change in near future.
