A Scared India’s Daughter

By Pallavi

I am India’s Daughter, and I am SCARED today.
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People are threatening to strangle me and burn me alive.

For what crime? Don’t ask. Who are these people? Don’t ask.

I am a ‘flower amid thorns’. I should be ‘worshiped’ and not ‘spoiled in gutter’.

Am I really a flower? If that’s all you think I am, I choose to disagree.
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Yes, I am India’s Daughter and I am ASHAMED today.
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I will be raped and killed if I will watch ‘Life of Pie’.

I will be raped and killed if I will roam around with a male friend.

I will be raped and killed if I will go out of my house at ‘odd hours’.

And I will be beaten and tear gassed by the protectors if I will protest.
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Yes, I am India’s Daughter and I am DEFAMED today.
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I and all my sisters are standing helpless.

We pretend to be courageous, but shrink from inside in fear.

We are scared to hire taxis; we are scared to get into busses.

We are scared of our co-human beings; we are scared to say that we are ‘scared’.
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Yes, I am India’s Daughter and I talk to you as a VICTIM today.