AT THE JAMA

 at the jama

Old Delhi from the window of the minar, Jama Masjid, Old Delhi.

 

Chandni Chowk and the Jama Masjid from the minar of the Masjid. 
It can be tiresome to climb up the minar, with summer setting in and the steps inside the minar being too high. A lot many people jostle for space at the top. It is not comfortable. 
Yet, I managed to climb up and see Old Delhi and New Delhi like never before. 
Photos by Biswadip Mitra.
April 14, 2013.

OUR TIMES, THEIR WORLD

OUR TIMES, THEIR WORLD

After his acclaimed novels, Musharraf Ali Farooqi has written an illustrated novel, Rabbit Rap. He tells Biswadip Mitra why the ‘crossover’ work is a ‘21st-century fable’

Rabbits living freely without the fear of predators and trying to break free from an old order in their warren. Sounds like another Disney cartoon, but the Rabbit Rap is an illustrated novel by Pakistani-Canadian author Musharraf Ali Farooqi whose novels The Story of a Widow and Between Clay and Dust received much acclaim. Illustrations in this new book are by Farooqi’s wife Michelle Farooqi, a noted artist in her own right.

The idea of this illustrated novel came quite “simply,” says Farooqi. “I was standing at a traffic signal or crossing the road when I suddenly thought what might happen if the rabbits could order from the IKEA catalogue. That was the seed of the story. The rest I made up,” he informs. But why rabbits? “It could easily have been the prairie dogs or the groundhog, but the rabbits were the first I imagined,” he replies.

So we have the rabbits trying to deal with a lot of issues that we human beings do — there are technologies, hazards and sky-high aims that could be destructive and detrimental. The rabbits try to tame Nature and they get an enterprising honcho in Rabbit Hab. The story moves on through self-examination and humour that comes out nicely in Farooqi’s storytelling.

The book describes itself as ‘a fable for the 21st-century.’ I want Farooqi to elaborate. “The world depicted in Rabbit Rap is the contemporary world. All the technologies mentioned in the book can be easily developed if they are not already in use,” he says. “The issues of pollution, food safety and environmental threats are also very contemporary.” And since these are universal, Farooqi didn’t have any particular country or society in his mind while writing. But when asked about readership, he says: “This is what you would call a crossover book which is accessible to everyone, from adults to teens.”
I wonder how the transition from writing a novel to writing an illustrated novel was. Farooqi says there was “no transition” as such. “I think of myself as a storyteller and I always plan my plots, so the nature of the work is the same,” he explains. The subjects that he writes on are quite diverse, and Farooqi makes sure that he doesn’t use “the same kind of language.” He cites his works and says: “You will notice the difference between the language employed in The Story of a Widow, in Between Clay and Dust and my children’s fiction The Amazing Moustaches of Moochhander the Iron Man and Other Stories, and this book. Not one is similar, because each story plays out in a particular world and that world suggests a language for that story.” Agreed.

And how was it working with his wife? Farooqi sounds happy as he shares an anecdote: “I remember we could not decide on the look for Rabbit Hab. Then one day I returned from work and found that she had drawn another version, the one you see in the book, and I knew that was him!” And the entire project being a wonderful experience, Farooqi has plans to come up with more such illustrated novels. And who knows, as the media reports suggest, he may win the Comic Con India Award for them.

A DISTANT INDIA

A DISTANT INDIA 

In his recent book, Highway 39, Sudeep Chakravarti brings forth north-eastern India, as he tracks the region, people and problems. He tells Biswadip Mitra what it will take to integrate the region with ‘mainland India’

We begin the conversation with the reasons as to why the region has become a conflict zone. Is it the high-handed attitude of India, or cultural differences, or some vested interests fomenting trouble there? “I would go with ‘high-handed attitude’ as the primary reason, and the others as subsidiaries. People do not take to protest, and sections of them to war, unless driven by root causes,” says Chakravarti, adding that the “relative isolation” of the region following Partition got enforced in many ways. When the emerging Naga leadership wanted autonomy, instead of dialogue, India’s response was “a paranoid near-genocide.” Similar responses were seen in Manipur, says the author. “Over time, India’s feeding of local, ethnic insecurities among various tribes to contain a few groups led to conflict going viral.”
 
Staggering lack of development and administrative callousness “fuelled the Mizo rebellion.” The response was like that in Nagaland. “Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya’s issues of identity and lack of development fuelled several insurgencies.”
 
Chakravarti, who is “driven to write about conflict” had earlier written the book Red Sun: Travels in Naxalite Country. “Solution is precisely the reason why I write about a problem, a conflict, in a humanised, anecdotal manner,” he reveals, adding, in India and South Asia, there is “a grave tendency to scrabble after an orgy of good news and forgetting the lamentable deficiencies that this country and region have not overcome.” He also laments the “tendency in metropolitan India and policy-making circles to ignore the unpalatable and live for ‘mall stupor’.” He calls the charmed inner circle the ‘inland’, while those living beyond that as the ‘outland.’ But the ‘inland’ remains disconnected with the ‘outland’ though it is the ‘outland’ on which the overall health of the country depends.

Describing his experiences, Chakravarti says while travelling by car, train, autorickshaw, boat, taxi, bus, at times in aircraft and walking for long stretches, he got “an opportunity to study aspirations and futures of this geopolitically- and commercially-crucial region” that can play a major role in India’s Look East policy. And as he travelled, it was not easy for him to not lose hope, seeing “what Indians do to India.” Chakravarti could see “what works alongside what lamentably does not”. It was tough, and he has “no shame in admitting that on and around Highway 39, while researching as well as writing the book, on several occasions” he was “saddened and enraged by everyday brutality, and India’s lost opportunities.” This book, then, is “an attempt to tell a credible, researched story with emotional quotient.” With the varied perceptions of several people he interviewed, Highway 39 is the story of people in the region and “the story of India’s unfinished integrity,” he adds.

When asked how people of the north-eastern States can be integrated with the rest of India, Chakravarti says their identities and aspirations must be respected. “It will take more local governance, more development, far less corruption, and more inter- and intra-regional interaction. Not all people there hate India, but many hate the idiocy and arrogance of India’s leadership that for so long refused to respect their needs and aspirations.”

I ask whether peace can be achieved in the region. Chakravarti sounds optimistic. “With several insurgencies winding down over the past two years, thaw in bilateral relations with Bangladesh, and recent elections in Myanmar that offer glimmers of democracy, theory appears to be inching closer to practice,” he wraps up with lots of hope.

A WINNER CALLED SAINA

A WINNER CALLED SAINA

Journalist T S Sudhir charts the life of badminton player Saina Nehwal in his recent book. He tells Biswadip Mitra how Saina’s story can motivate youngsters

Imagine badminton star Saina Nehwal gobbling up ice-cream through the night after winning her first major international title, the Indonesia Super Series of 2009! Sounds amusing, but then it’s true. “She was just 19 then and couldn’t believe that she had won the tournament. She was looking at the medal in her room, trying to cope with the reality. I liked the way she narrated the incident to me,” says journalist T S Sudhir who has penned a book, Saina Nehwal: An Inspirational Biography, on the youth icon. “It showed that despite her aggressive stance on the court, there is a child in her,” says the author who has been a family friend.

But then why Saina and why not some other sports icon? “Most of us do not know much about this young player, except for her feats on the badminton courts. I thought this information gap must be bridged. And the best way is to write the book,” explains Sudhir who has been a television and print journalist for 20 years. “This is an honest journalistic account about a young person who hates to be defeated. And that is the takeaway from this book for all young sportspersons. The story of courage and grit, I am sure, will inspire all youngsters across their social backgrounds,” asserts Sudhir. “Her mental strength is amazing and is worth emulating.”

Written in a simple language, the book is aimed at “young sportspersons, their parents and coaches who will get to know what it took for Saina, her parents and coaches to get her where she is now.” The curiosity that people have about Saina is likely to grow, says Sudhir, if the youngster wins a medal at the forthcoming London Olympics. “So, I thought this is the right time to come up with this book which is her first biography,” he adds. “Her parents, her coaches, especially Pullela Gopichand, have been instrumental in keeping Saina grounded. Success didn’t get into her head. She has remained focussed and always worked on her mistakes.” All of that comes quite well in the book.

However, the book is more about Saina rather than her games. “Usually, sports biographies tell us about the matches one played in the past. As a reader and author, I often cannot relate to those past matches. So, in this book I tried to tell Saina’s story through anecdotes, rather than analysing the games she played,” informs Sudhir who had been following Saina’s games and the badminton in general for years.

How was the research like? “It was massive. There is not much information about her. So, I interviewed Saina, her parents and coaches several times. And then being a trained journalist I had to raise questions to have an objective view about her,” Sudhir explains. “I did not let my admiration for Saina’s grit, for her coaches and sportspersons to overwhelm my writing. I didn’t want to be judgemental in any way. All I did was to bring her story to public domain. It is not T S Sudhir who is telling that, but those who know Saina for years who are telling it.”

Did he deal with the phase when Saina and her coach Gopichand had a rift? “I didn’t avoid it. They were not very keen to talk about that phase. But then we being journalists, cannot really give up. We question, and look through the magnifying glass. So, they did talk about it and I have dealt with it in the book,” Sudhir informs.
 
So, on the whole how will he define Saina? Sudhir smiles. “Saina is still a simple girl who is not carried away by her success. The credit goes to her parents and Gopichand,” he reiterates before we part.

SPEAKING HIS THOUGHTS

SPEAKING HIS THOUGHTS

With his understanding of society, law, democracy and a gamut of issues, Somnath Chatterjee played a pivotal role as parliamentarian and Speaker of the Lok Sabha. A collection of his speeches reflect his views and ideas

The lasting image of Somnath Chatterjee, the redoubtable parliamentarian who was also the Speaker of the Lok Sabha between 2004 and 2008, will be that of a man who chose to answer the call of conscience, rather than buckle under the partisan diktat of Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat. So, Chatterjee was expelled from the party under the flag of which he fought and won many elections, ultimately to grace the office of the Speaker. His tenure as the Speaker was also eventful: he expelled 11 members of the Lok Sabha in ‘cash for query’ scam, besides taking tough stances to enforce discipline in the House that often suffered uncalled for ruckus. At the same time, he brought to fore many issues that we, as a nation, are bound to address. Through his speeches, both in the House and beyond, Chatterjee urged us not to be complacent, spoke about the reforms needed and the duties required to be performed for the functioning of the democracy. Some of those speeches are now back in the form of a compilation, The Collected Speeches of Somnath Chatterjee.
 
The speeches have been categorised into several topics, and accordingly the book has been divided into different sections: Parliamentary Democracy and Politics; Governance and Politics; The Media; The Economy; Panchayats and Decentralisation; Education, Youth and Empowerment; Foreign Relations; and Miscellaneous. There is nothing special about Chatterjee’s language: the speeches are simple and to-the-point. But it is clear that he has not only had interests in wide-ranging subjects, but has been conversant with the issues and the relevant information. Copious references to the facts and figures are enlightening, making these speeches valuable documents of the Indian democracy.
 
I was keen to know what he thought about the media. Chatterjee sees journalism as a “great mission in a democracy.” But at the same time he laments the deterioration of standards in certain sections of the media that are sensationalists, money-making machines where the editors are sidelined and the marketing folks dictate terms as to what will “sell”; and how negative images about the Parliament are often given more prominence over the important debates and discussions that are held in the highest legislature.
 
In a speech on the National Press Day of 2007, Chatterjee says: “Press Freedom is not without responsibility... The editorial policy of newspapers should not be directed by the prejudices of media moghuls and media barons... Today, it appears, the most important page, for most mainstream newspapers is the overbearing ‘page three’...” From these speeches it becomes clear that Chatterjee was not just delivering a speech in one of the many functions he had to attend, but he was seriously concerned about the state of Indian media. It will seem that it was not just the Speaker of the Lok Sabha who was speaking, but the conscience keeper of the nation. For journalists and students of media these speeches can be instructive in many ways, more so when there are covert attempts to curb and control the media, and a certain section of journalists are eager to be manipulated by the lure of filthy lucre, rather than standing up for the truth.
 
Several inclusions in this book are the ‘memorial’ lectures. Besides recalling the contribution of those persons who were celebrated on those occasions, Chatterjee stressed on the aspirations of the people in a democracy and reminded us about our achievements. He didn’t shy away from the flaws in this country: corruption in our political system; plight of the farmers; illiteracy in the country; gender disparity in education; and the like. But he also drove home a message: We must have faith in ourselves and strive to excel in all fields. Such words may sound clichéd, given that almost all political elements say nice words and play to the gallery. But, when the words come from someone as erudite and upright as Chatterjee, the gravitas is enhanced; it feels genuine. One can only hope that the ideas that Chatterjee spoke of in his speeches will stir the young minds who have the responsibility to carry forward the Indian democracy, and let the nation claim a place at the international high table.
 
The Collected Speeches of Somnath Chatterjee
By: Somnath Chatterjee
Genre: Non Fiction / Speeches
Publisher: Westland
Pages: 596
Price: Rs 695

GOOD PROSE FROM BAD GUITAR

GOOD PROSE FROM BAD GUITAR

Shehan Karunatilaka is a multifaceted personality — the Sri Lankan is a novelist, a bass player, a copywriter and an avid cricket fan. The winner of DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2012 shares his views about the game, Sri Lankan literature and society with Biswadip Mitra
 
An award can change life. It means recognition, fan following, and of course the money that usually comes along. But for Sri Lankan novelist Shehan Karunatilaka, who won this year’s DSC Prize for South Asian Literature, “nothing has changed.” Life is the same, he says even after his Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew trumped other contenders at the Jaipur jamboree. “There’s a bit more money in my savings account and a bit more press about me. But I’m back at the desk, grinding out another one. It’s looking to be as fun and as tedious as the last one,” Karunatilaka says from Singapore where is he currently based. 
 
The novel tells the story of Pradeep Mathew, a missing cricketer who is being sought by an alcoholic journalist W G Karunasena. Pradeep is half-Sinhalese, half-Tamil who can mimic the style of any bowler, and can bowl equally well with both hands. As one reads, the larger reality sets in: cricket in South Asia is too large for comfort; it gets mixed up with nationalism, politics, money, power, stardom and scandals. I ask Karunatilaka whether as a writer and as a cricket fan, he ever feels that the game is lost somewhere, just like Pradeep? “There’s a lot going on, on the fringes of the game and there are a lot of unsavoury influences on it, but I think the magic is still alive,” he replies. “As long as great stuff is happening on the field, I can forgive the rest.”
 
Besides being a novelist, Karunatilaka wears several other hats: he’s a copywriter; he’s into freelance editing; a song writer; and a bass player — he played with Sri Lankan bands Independent Square and Powercut Circus. Don’t these identities nudge each other all the time? How do we define Shehan Karunatilaka, I ask him. “I’d like to think myself as a bass player, but sadly my aptitude for music is nowhere near my love for it. The copywriting pays the bills and is fun as long as it doesn’t encroach on the other writings. But I haven’t written a song in years. Hope to write one soon,” he says. “They all cross-fertilise each other, and I can’t imagine trying to write good prose if I didn’t play bad guitar.”
 
‘I HOPE TO READ TAMIL SOME DAY’
We get back to literature, especially the Sri Lankan variety. According to Karunatilaka, “most Lankan writers in English” are inspired by “lyrical Michael Ondaatje and the lewd Carl Muller.” So, he too “tried to write like both, but failed.” Now, his attention has turned to Sinhala literature. “I’ve just started reading Sinhala novels. I hope to read Tamil some day not too far in the future,” he informs.
 
Names of writers in English from the island nation come up. Karunatilaka draws up a list: “In English, we have literary writers like Romesh Gunasekera and Shyam Selvadurai, mainstream writers like David Blacker and Ashok Ferrey, and wonderful women writers like poet Viv Vanderpoorten, playwright Ruwanthi de Chuckera and novelist Ru Freeman.”
 
Now that he is writing a new novel, away from Sri Lanka, though it is set in that island, I feel tempted to ask Karunatilaka whether he is getting a clearer picture of his country from a distance. “Perhaps,” he says. “But there’s nothing like smelling the places you’re writing about. I plan to move back there for the next draft,” he clarifies.
 
In case of the Indian writers in English, the home-grown tribe and those living abroad are quite accomplished. And every day we have new writers emerging. Considering the substantial readership of these writers, marketing their works remains a serious business on part of the publishers. Why is it that we do not see the same thing happening with Sri Lankan writers in English? “Sri Lankan writing is still in its infancy. There are a lot of good contemporary writers, but Colombo’s bookshops are also lined with a lot of self-published, poorly-edited writing by dabblers and amateurs,” says Karunatilaka. “If we Lankans take writing more seriously and immerse ourselves in our work, I’m sure the world will take notice. There are certainly plenty of stories here to be told,” he assures.
 
‘STOP ALIENATING MINORITIES’
The ethnic disharmony and the alleged violence against the Tamils in Sri Lanka feature in our interaction. As a Sinhala Buddhist, what does Karunatilaka think? Is the continuation of ethnic discord a burden of history that is embedded in the Sinhala psyche, or is it that the pedlars of chauvinism won’t let people live in harmony? “It’s a timely question you ask,” he tells me. “Over the last few weeks, Sinhala Buddhist monks in Dambulla have been behaving disgracefully, storming mosques and kovils, threatening violence. The clips are all on YouTube. These thugs in robes resemble members of the SS in Nazi Germany rather than representatives of a non-violent philosophy of kindness and peace. I feel ashamed as a Sinhala Buddhist to see bigots and thugs claim to represent me,” Karunatilaka doesn’t mince his words. “If the Sinhalese stopped alienating minorities and embraced all forms of Sri Lankan-ness, and if the vast diaspora returned and brought home their knowledge and wealth, this country would be unstoppable,” he asserts in the same breath. “We’ve just come off a 30-year ethnic war. We should be building bridges and healing wounds, rather than promoting bigotry and violence.”
 
So, can literature build that bridge? Can remorse wash away the wounds, I ask. “Literature can do far more things than we give it credit for. But it will take more than a few good books to heal Sri Lanka’s wounds,” Karunatilaka says with lot of hope before we part.

STALK TALK

STALK TALK

A new law has been proposed which makes stalking an offence in India. But the proposal is waiting for a nod from the top authorities. Biswadip Mitra talks to legal experts about the effectiveness of the law and whether stalkers can be harshly dealt with


Remember Priyadarshini Mattoo, the 25-year-old law student at Delhi University who was stalked for years by her senior student, and was subsequently raped and murdered by him in 1996? There was public outcry when the accused was set free by the lower court. Subsequently, the case was dealt with by the higher courts and the accused was first sentenced to death and later given life imprisonment.

But despite media glare and complaints of incidents of harassment and stalking, nothing seems to have changed even in 2012. We keep hearing about cases of harassment faced by women: they are followed on the streets and in public places; attempts are made to contact them directly or indirectly via communication devices — telephone or online. Simply put, women are traumatised when their every move is watched by someone who is possibly obsessed with them and perhaps nurtures some dark motive.

But why is a woman in modern India vulnerable to stalking? It’s because there are no credible deterrents: there is no law to ‘specifically’ deal with stalking. Stalking as an offence is yet to be defined and adopted as part of legal provisions. So what happens when a woman complains of stalking? The case is registered under different provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) — sections 354, 503, 504, 506, 509 — that deal with outrage of modesty, insulting words or gestures, assault, criminal intimidation and the like. But there are loopholes that allow a stalker to slip away. Sometimes a case drags on for such a long time that the complainant loses courage to pursue the matter. Moreover, the police are often ill equipped or are not active enough to deal with stalking; or the police helplines may or may not function when needed the most.

Given this background, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) had proposed, following demands by women groups and activists, that a new law, Section 509B, be inserted into the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The proposed law defines stalking as “repeatedly following the woman from place to place, repeatedly contacting the woman through mails, fax, etc or repeatedly loitering or watching the house or the woman’s workplace”. The punishment proposed is seven years’ imprisonment and a hefty fine.

We contacted the WCD and learnt that this proposal is now lying with the Union Home Ministry. Sources in the Home Ministry in Delhi say that “it is matter of policy decision taken at the top ministry level.” In other words, there hasn’t been much development since the proposal was made by the WCD.

THE LAW & ITS LOOPHOLES

Reading the proposed law one may raise a couple of questions: How does a woman prove criminal intention on part of the alleged stalker? And, even men can be subjected to stalking. The proposed law doesn’t deal with that.

So what do the lawyers say? According to Flavia Agnes, senior advocate and noted activist who is part of the women’s movement, Majlis, “The proposed law must be tight enough not to let the culprit get away. It is indeed difficult for anyone to prove the criminal intention on part of an accused.”

Because there is no specific provision as of now, a complaint of physical stalking is filed under a section of IPC which requires that there has to be some physical violence or abusive words or intimidation. “If none of these elements are present, yet the offence of stalking is committed by repeatedly following a woman or trying to contact her, the entire case against the accused may fall flat. So, there must be strong circumstantial evidence to substantiate the allegation,” she says.

She stresses the need for stronger implementation of laws. “There are already many laws for different offences, but how much have they been implemented?” she asks. Referring to the police, she says that officers, especially those at the lower rungs, must be sensitised about the menace of stalking.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist Colin Gonsalves says, “This proposed law is long overdue. This is a legitimate exercise of the legislative right. It is a welcome step. By making it women-specific, the focus of the law is right.” However, he adds that there must be some explanation or a proviso attached to the section which will exempt those, like a journalist, who may be exercising his/her professional rights. “The ‘mens rea’ or the ‘criminal intent’ of the alleged offender must be proved in any case,” he says.

Delhi-based lawyer Shilpi Jain mentions sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty) and 509 (word, gesture, sound, exhibit to insult modesty of a woman) of the IPC that are often used in such cases. But in the absence of any proof of ‘criminal intent’, it becomes tough for the woman to prove the offence of stalking and obtain a restraining order from the courts. “Often many women journalists come to me and complain that they are being stalked. Sadly, I tell them that they have to put up with it,” she laments.

Flavia, however, says,“Women must not suffer quietly. The moment they realise that they are being stalked, they must alert their families and friends. Police must be informed. You have to nip it in the bud.”

Referring to the‘mens rea’, Shilpi says, it needs to be ascertained “from the surrounding circumstances.” For a woman, merely being stalked without any physical contact or provocation can be terrifying, she says. “But it can become difficult to prove the ‘criminal intent’ of the offender. So, each case has to be dealt on the basis of the description (which has to be graphic) of the woman to understand what actually happened.”

Pune-based lawyer Abhijeet Sarwate says,“Currently, it all depends on the interpretation of the laws by the court. In any case, there has to be ‘criminal intent’ on part of the alleged offender. If, for example, a complaint is filed against a journalist for allegedly stalking a person, and s/he says that s/he was on a professional assignment, how can ‘criminal intent’ be attributed to that journalist?”

Shilpi, however, doesn’t think it’s necessary to make an exception. “In such cases, police investigation will show that there was no ‘criminal intent’ on part of the journalist or the private investigator. An exception will allow everyone to take recourse to it,” Shilpi explains.

‘HE WAS WATCHING MY HOME EVERYDAY’

Amrita Chaudhury (name changed) was a budding journalist in New Delhi when she met a Public Relations guy at an event. Pleasantries were exchanged and business cards changed hands, just as it happens in any profession. Soon, Amrita forgot about the guy. However, the guy didn’t forget her and the reasons were not professional. It was a combination of obsession, passion and inexplicable psyche that got this guy to follow Amrita. He stood in front of her office at the busy Connaught Place in Delhi; he found out her home in the city and kept a close watch on her movements. She bumped into him at events. It went on for days and Amrita had no idea that no matter where she was going, a pair of eyes was watching her.

And then began the more troublesome phase. “This guy began approaching me whenever I was out on the streets on my own. It could be when I was going to a shop or was on an assignment and walking on Akbar Road or in CP. I always found him around and he always wanted to talk to me. He even wanted to take me out for dinner, which was unethical by all means. But I thought the guy was just trying to promote his professional interests,”recalls Amrita. “Initially I had thought that this was just a part of a professional life where you keep meeting the same group of people, and Delhi’s media is all about contacts and networking. But then the maid in our house alerted me about a man who was seen watching our home everyday. I was curious, and I was was shocked to see that it was the same PR guy standing under the tree,” says Amrita.

She spoke with her colleagues about the guy. Some laughed it off. Some took the matter seriously. And it was at the suggestion of one of her friends, who was once a lawyer, that she took the matter to the police. Delhi Police has an Anti-Stalking Cell. “They were cooperative, more so because I work as a journalist. Soon, they confronted the guy and interrogated him. They found that his mobile phone was full of my photographs at different locations in the city, and I was not even aware,” Amrita says. “He confessed that he was following me, because he liked me. It was found that he was married and his wife was a primary-level school teacher. She was informed, along with the PR firm that had employed him. His wife requested me not to pursue the case and promised that she will not let it happen again. The last that I know that they have left Delhi for good,” informs Amrita. But the entire episode left an indelible mark on her mind. So, she has been watchful about prying eyes. Who knows, it could be another stalker on the prowl.

CYBER STALKING

Much before the Information Technology Act of 2000 came into being, one Ritu Kohli had registered a complaint with the police in Delhi against a person who was using her identity to chat over the Internet. Kohli further complained that the person gave her address and telephone number, and was talking in an obscene language. Consequently, Kohli received almost 40 calls in three days mostly at odd hours from different places. That case was dealt with under section 509 of the IPC.

In a recent advisory to the State governments, the Union Home Ministry has said that offences like ‘cyber-stalking’, ‘cyber-bullying’ or ‘sending obscene videos (and) audios containing explicit sexual content to children’ can be booked under existing provisions of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008 and the Indian Penal Code, which carry sentences ranging between two to five years.

Section 66A of the Information Technology (Amended) Act of 2008 deals with sending offensive and annoying materials though Internet or other communication devices.

Lawyer Shilpi Jain says, “In the current form, the law is too wide and it is subjective to one’s interpretations. What may be offensive to one, may be an innocent communication to the other. And when you make such a communication a criminal offence, then there has to be clarity. Therefore, it will be wise to put in examples along with the provision, so as to make correct implementation of the law easy.”

Published in Sakal Times, Pune, India. April, 2012.