[Reader-list] Fwd: Solidarity to Chtralekha's resistence:

[NUAIMAN]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dileep Raj <dileep.raj09 at gmail.com>
Date: 9 March 2010 16:07
Subject: Solidarity to Chtralekha's resistence: Vahanajatha Thudangi
To:


Karivelloor, March9, 10.15 am

Despite last minte withdrawals from 'flux artist' and threats to vehicle
driver,
the jatha started today from Karivelloore.

Reshma Bharadwaj welcomed the gathering (rather brought the gathering into
being, typical of
Vahanajatha methodlogy).
*Reshma Bharadwaj*
Though neither payyannur nor Karivelloore is a familiar place, the very name
Payyannur evokes pride and
thrill of late thanks to Chitralekha's persistent resistance. Even in penury
she showed that swimming  against all odds
is possible.Her struggle to assert the right to work inspires every woman
who want to live without compromising selfrespect. That is why
women activists are coming forward in public supporting her.

Even in government projects the ideal space defined for women is home.That
is the reason why statistics shows
constant decrease in the number of working women in this 'progressive'
land.Chitralekha came out of this imposing defintion and
dared riding and owning an autorickshaw.
Its the duty of everyone to stand by her in this fight.

*Rekha Raj*
(inauguaral speech)
Its a pity that after five years I am revisiting Payyannur in connection
with Chitralekha's experiences. my first visit was for a convention
protesting
casiest discriminations and insults against Chitralekha. The situation is
worsening, not showing any signs of democratising, indicating the
castiest foundations of North Malabar society and politics.
Chitralekha refused to do traditional jobs and entered into a profession
which is normally an all male domain.This very act marked her as an
'unusual' or 'abnormal' woman'.
Normal women are expected to become good housewives, looking after husbands
and children.Chitralekha's body language (which defies submission) and her
refusal to comply to caste hierachy further helped her qulaify as 'bad'
woman. She lacks most of the 'virtues' of goodwomen. But we. women who stand
by her find these very charecteristics and attitudes as 'virtues' very rare
among women in Kerala.

Experinces of Chitralekha when she entered the heart of male world should
provoke all of us who boast of 'progressive' Kerala to think about the
absence of dalits in public sphere and the castiest hierarchies prevailing
in the heart of left bastions.

Campaigna agnist Chiltralekha deploys typical and predicatble straegies.
Complaints raised against her are

   - she abuses
   - she uses 'foul language'
   - she drinks
   - her character is shady

What is thoughtprovoking is the fact that the moment such allegations are
propagated, a woman looses whatever little support she enjoys in the
neighbourhood.
These are the ultimate crimes that could be ascribed to women in our
society. Once depicted thus, society could legitimately kill them.We have
seen the xeperience of shari and many women in past.

*But then why and how Chitralekha decides to resist ?*
Why she refuses to surrender even when she and  her husband faces continuos
threates and attacks?
That is hoping that there exist a democartic space in the interstices of our
society.That exactly is the spirit and hope propelling us when we do
something like this.
That exactly is the energy enebling us to organise a convention like this.

If one is to lead a discilined life obeying the rules set for becoming a
good woman it will become practically impossible to go out of home.Dali
women are even otherwise assumed to be bad women who are 'available'. They
are to be 'civilised', 'set right'. When Reshma and Jaseela went to police
station for applying for mike sanction, they
repeated all thses complaints aganist Chitralekha and urged them to
'straighten' her! What are the criteria for this straightening? Who formed
them? Who are we to reform others? Why is it so that Chitrlekha is viewed as
somebody to be 'reformed'?

*Nattukar*
There are other myths which feeds into the fascist savarna commonsense. take
for instance terms like 'nattukar', 'thozhilalikal', 'janangal'etc. who are
they? How many women are member of that classes? How many dalits are
included in such sets?  Can we see a single woman in the mobs who claim to
be 'people' and abuse couples who stay legally in a room or house ?

Chitralekha's struggle need to be taken up as one for docratisation of
citizenship and public sphere.

*Baby*
(Convenor, Streevedi, Kasargode District )
All women should take Chitralekha as model and resist evry single problem
faced by them. Covering up or keeping silence wont help solving the problem.
Thus supporting chitralekha's resistnece is significant for the womens'
movement in Kerala.

Apart from Rekha, Reshma , Baby Jaseela and Usha are taking part in the
jatha.
Todays' jatha will end with a public meeting in Edat, Chitralekha's home
town in which K . Ajitha, anweshi president will take part.








-- 
Dileep Raj




--