The Silence of Abhaya
The Kolkata Rape Case involved the tragic assault and death of a young female doctor in August 2024. After working an exhausting 36-hour shift, she was found raped and murdered in a hospital seminar room. The incident sparked nationwide outrage, especially among the medical community, highlighting systemic failures in workplace safety and justice. Doctors across India protested, demanding accountability and improved protection for healthcare workers. The case symbolizes the persistent issue of violence against women and the need for urgent reforms to ensure safety and justice.
12/19/2024
A-Bhaya - Nir-Bhaya - Sa-Bhaya?
(Fearless, Fearless, Afraid?)
My first language is English,
Second is Gujarati because family insists on it
I learned Chinese for 9 years,
Hindi is learned from Bollywood movies
& songs that we dance on all night
Mom has been crying for last 3 days for no reason
For someone named ‘Abhaya’- she doesn't even know her
Oh, she is not really named ‘Abhaya’
Its Indian version of ‘Jane Doe’
Remember Roe V/s Wade?
Jane Doe, Jane Roe,
Abhaya, Nirabhaya
Ahhh, I get it now
I had to ask my mom what does Abhaya mean
& mom said someone who is not afraid
I asked again what does Nirbhaya mean
& mom said someone who is without fear
Hindi seems to be very rich language
For having so many words to say the same thing
Undergraduate, biology major,
MCAT, medical school, USMLE
Residency, Fellowships & then the MD degree
All Indian kids in US
know & live these words every day
Be a doctor,
Be an engineer
Be a lawyer
Because that’s what you are destined to be
Abhaya was doctor
Or doctor to be
Or doctor she never will be
I am sure , her parents wish she did not become a doctor
She was raped
No, she was gang-raped
She committed suicide
No, she was murdered
She was cremated
No, the evidence was destroyed
She is dead
No, she is in better place
Of course, better place because
The world doesn't feel like a good place
Anymore
“Mom”, Hindi seems to be such a rich language
What is the name of the girl who IS AFRAID?
Sabhaya?
#Kolkatarape
Because I still remain a teenager
in the world of Hashtags
#SABHAYA
Today, I am not in love with my own name - Aarvi
I might as well be ‘Sabhaya’
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