“Haven’t you cooked meal yet, Reeta? asked Harka Bahadur to his wife”. Harka seemed to be in a hurry today. He had already donned a grey shirt, a black pant and a new coat that he had purchased from the district headquarters when had visited the place to meet government officials as to the drinking water project the village was soon going to start work on. Reeta was slicing vegetables at the kitchen on the top of the house. Upon hearing husband calling her, she climbed down the stair to inquire what he was intending to say as his words were vaguely audible. “Why are ready so early? Where are you going?” she bombarded him with questions with a look of surprise on her face.
The far-flung vicinity in the countryside had witnessed upsurge in the violent incidents of late. This had the local folks unnerved. After a series of meetings, the people in the village had made up a mind to do something to keep the social malady at a bay. “I have an invitation to inaugurate a campaign to check the violence against women”, Harka responded dictating his wife to ready the meal without further ado.
Everyone in Taluwagaun revered him which rendered him a sense of gratification. As he was educated man, villagers sought advice from him. If someone had to marry off a daughter or send his/her son to the Gulf to work, his decision would be final. When the village required a tap, a road or school, Harka would be at the forefront. So, he was a hope for the rustics.
The ambiance at the Bhorle Primary School was quite different today. The school premise looked neat and tidy as it had been cleaned up. The route that runs from the village to the school was neatly swept. Chairs were placed in myriad rows on the school ground. As time went by, people started filling the vacant chairs. Soon, the school compound turned into a sea of humanity. But, the mass was staring at the road. They were eagerly awaiting Chief Guest to turn up. In a matter of few minutes, Harka strolled to the school premise. With mouth wide open, he smiled. When he entered the venue, everyone stoop from their chair and applauded to welcome him.
On the arrival of the Chief guest, the programme has kicked off, proclaimed the announcer. We are here today for a noble work. We are assembled to do something to check the injustice and inhumane treatment meted out to the women, said a thin boy of early twenties giving the background about the mass gathering. After he introduced the objective of the programme, he cordially called upon the chief guest to inaugurate the campaign and air his views pertaining to the atrocity women face at the hands of men in the family, neighbourhood and society. With a great pride on his head, Harka started to address the gathering. “Dear mothers, fathers, sisters, young and others present here, I feel immensely glad to be here with you. When I hear a husband thrashing his wife, it hurts me. When a youth in mid-twenties rapes a teenage girl, this breaks my heart. We hear the cases of violence escalating by the day. So, we have an utmost duty to save our sisters and druthers from the evil-minded people to establish a society that treats both man and woman with equality”, the chief guest addressed. He continued, “Man and woman are two wheels of the same cart. If a cart goes dysfunctional, the cart can not move”. To run a family happily, a husband and wife have an equal role to play. Those who discriminate women, harass them, inflict physical and mental pain must be met with harsh punishment, Harka spoke energetically.
While Harka was delivering the speech, the mass was felt uneasy and disturbed owing to the show up of a team of police personnel in uniform. They were accompanied by a middle-aged man. The unexpected presence of police personnel had sent a chill down Harka’s spine but he managed to have calmness outwardly. An Inspector accosted to the Chief Guest and took over the microphone from him. There was a pin drop silence. The mass could even feel the gust of air as it turned still. None dared to react why their leader was being prevented from delivering speech. “We are here to arrest Harka Bahadur for his involvement for his dastardly act of raping a 13-year-old girl at his neighbourhood”, the Inspector said. Meanwhile, an irate man in his early thirties stood from his seat and challenged the Inspector to show the evidence before blaming his social path shower.
The Inspector furnished a report on the case. The report said: “It was the day of Maghe sankrati. Ila came home from the headquarters after her school was over. She was studying at grade VII at Himalayan Boarding. Her father had stayed at the headquarters-based rented apartment as he had workload at the District Administration Office where he worked as a clerk. Harka was heading home. On the way, he saw Ila playing at her courtyard at the dusk. When Harka got Ila’s home, she greeted him and requested him to sit on the cot placed in the yard. “Where have you been uncle?” asked Ila. To the village down on the basin, replied Harka. She brought a glass of water which he gulped as he had grown tired of walking.
The darkness grew thicker. And Harka began to feel carnal longing in him. Ila’s mother had been to the paddy filed to irrigate the crops. It was clear from the minor’s remark that her mother would be late. Suddenly, the man pounded on the child as tiger attacking on lamb. He pressed her mouth so that her screaming remained inaudible. Then, he satiated his lust.
By the time Inspector had read out the incident, Harka’s body was already in perspiration. His body was trembling. Joining his hands, he pleaded that he was not guilty. The middle-aged man accompanying the police team bemoaned, “I am heartbroken as my daughter is struggling for her life at the district hospital following the incident”. After the Inspector ordered, his subordinates nabbed Harka before they handcuffed him. Soon after, men in uniform whisked the chief guest with them. Shell-shocked, everyone left the venue. A man was heard saying, “How fool we have been by a hypocrite?”
Name: Ushak Karki
Address: Ratopul, Kathmandu
Contact No: 9851133107
ushakkathmandu 