This Pune Accountant Uses Postcards To Request Safety For Women

Thursday, August 18 2016, 12:42:22

Drishti Bodhraj Premprakashi

JWB Blogger

This Pune Accountant Uses Postcards To Request Safety For Women

JWB Post

July 28, 2016

When we hear about sexual abuse against women, all we do is show sympathy and regret. We don’t prefer to act first and expect someone else to come forward and take the wheel.

Here’s one person we need to look up to. His name is Pandithar Sivakumar Perumal, and he is an accountant from Pune. About three years ago, he wrote a postcard to Pranab Mukherjee, the President. In that postcard, he assured the President that his wife and daughter are safe. He’s been doing that on a daily basis since 20 April 2013.

“I am glad to inform you that at my home no untoward incidence of an act against women has happened today,” he writes. “I trust that you have received such news from each and every home of this country.”

He considers this as a form of protest against the lack of action towards those who commit heinous crimes against women in the country.

He has now started including 93 women Members of Parliament on his list of recipients. He urges them to raise this important issue in the ongoing Monsoon Session.

“I decided to write to women MPs urging them to fight for the issue, since they have the power to raise the issue in Parliament and demand a change in the system,” he told The Indian Express.

This is what his postcard says according to the report:

“Atrocities on women aged anything between three years to more than 65 years, have almost become an order of the day in our country. We, the citizens, had faith that you as one amongst the many women, would not tolerate any more heinous crimes against women. You are bestowed with powers to make change for a safe and secure life for the better gender. Deafening silence on the issue from 93 women Members of Parliament does not give us an iota of feeling secure and safe. Please realise your powers, do something soon. Stop the crimes.”

The latest data notes that over a tenth of the total crimes in India consist of crimes against women. At least 3,37,922 women were raped, kidnapped, killed for dowry, trafficked for sex in 2014. Many such crimes are not even reported.

Sivakumar refuses to ignore this and accept it as “part of everyday life”. This has resulted in him carrying out his protest in a peaceful and encouraging way.