Battle between modernity & tradition makes pitch difficult for women
Times of India | 14 July 2025
Kolkata: The solution to the mystery over the alleged rape of a young psychologist in one of the country's top B-schools may lie in a sprawling two-storied house located in a semi-urban area about 12 km from the management institute campus. Life in the area remains a curious mix of the urban and the rural, where the local imam's calls for a puritanic life clashes with the all-pervasive penetration of the cellphone, which often leads to "complications and entanglements", say residents of the area.
Kamal Mia, a village elder around 60, spends his days praying three times at village mosque. He said, "My grandson is studying medicine. There's a big difference between new and old generations.
" Despite being a village, multiple homes dotting the place give an impression of a prosperous, aware and modern community. But when you step in, it changes. Modernity has not removed the old shackles. As TOI tried to reach the survivor's home, four on two bikes with mobiles asked them to "stay off". "They have nothing to say. They are not at home," they said curtly. Her father, an ex-panchayat pradhan, is also an advocate.
While the village elders refused to speak, the new generation is quite aware, tech-savvy and confident. Many young women are educated, mostly completing their studies in govt schools rather than madrasas. Zarin Khatun (not her real name) said, "I am a graduate and studied in a govt school. I know how to use the internet, laptops and mobiles. Now, I run a sewing school. About 30 students are learning modern sewing from me.
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Shakila Bibi, a resident in her sixties, said, "I have three daughters and a son, who is physically challenged. All my daughters completed school and are now married.
" There was a sense of satisfaction on her face, as many homes in the village now have expensive gaming computers, treadmills and people learning painting or singing. Once, the villagers' world was confined to homes, praying, following the imam's instructions, farming rice and doing fishing or embroidery. Now, there are no more dirt roads; everything is paved with proper drainage system. The new generation rides bikes and uses smartphones. But embracing an urban lifestyle hasn't yet freed the area from the shackles of conservatism. So, the obvious question is averted: "If there is so much modernity, shouldn't everyone, young and old, step forward against injustice?" Suddenly, there is silence. No one wanted to answer. Both the old and young remained quiet.
Prasanta Ray, former professor of sociology, Presidency College, said, "The fear and hesitation to lodge a rape plaint still exist. It stems from the fear of social ostracisation, stigma, and the fact that the survivor's marriage prospects could be affected. Not just the survivor, other female members of the family are also ostracised. There are parents who still think in these terms. But then there are others who have shown courage to defy social norms.