As per a report by Scroll, crimes against women are reported every 2 minutes in India. Which means that there is a high possibility of such a crime being committed, as you read this. Nerve-racking? We would hope anybody reading this might think so.

These statistics definitely makes us worried, not about how the foreign perceive us, but about how unsafe our female population is despite the supposed fall of the patriarchy years ago.

Pune-based accountant was hit by the same reality when the famous Nirbhaya rape case was reported in 2013. Not only did he realise that his wife and daughter were unsafe to independently walk in their country, but he realised that his government wasn’t doing much about it either. As a form of silent revolt, Sivakumar Perumal Pandithar, an employee at Infosys Hinjewadi, began writing postcards daily to the President of India after April 23th 2013. These postcards read:

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

Pandithar received anything but silence from the government officials. After the Nirbhaya incident, alike him, most of us believed that such horrifying crimes would reduce, but sadly, that wasn’t the case. This didn’t dishearten Pandithar, but fueled him further to take it to the next step. As per the report by The Indian Express, the postcard man himself, has now sent about 93 postcards to women MPs urging immediate action against this growing trend.

He says, “Every single day, we come across some or the other crime against women of all age groups. There must be so many cases going unreported too. I, as a common man, am scared for my wife and daughter. That’s why, 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.”

35 postcards have already been posted, while the rest are following suit. They read, “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.”
While alike, Pandithar, we are unsure whether these postcards are being read by the addressed officials, we continue to hope that is form of revolt helps in formulating the much needed policy action.