B. R. GOWANI
“The Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), strongly condemns the violent and sexist abuse unleashed on poet, writer, activist and translator Meena Kandasamy, presumably in response to her posts on Twitter about the beef-eating festival at Osmania University, Hyderabad, on 15 April 2012 and the ensuing clashes between groups of students.
“After her comments on Twitter, she was threatened with various forms of violence, including gang rape and acid attacks. Some placed a price on her head. Others threatened her freedom of speech, saying that she would not be allowed to speak anywhere, and called for her prosecution for allegedly outraging religious feelings under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code. In over a hundred tweets, she was called a whore, characterless, a terrorist and a bitch. One of the most objectionable comments was that she should be raped on live television, this barbaric idea was put out by one Siddharth Shankar who followed it up with more vicious filth.” PHOTO/Meena Kandasamy TEXT/Feminist India
Brahmins, the priestly and superior caste
loves power
have been in power for long
and wants to stay in power for long
Buddha revolted
so he was incorporated as one of Vishnu’s avatar
but Buddhism had to leave
it flourished elsewhere
one day the cow was made the Holy Mother
and Mother’s flesh became a power-tool
then bullshit became the father
with which the power was exerted
history and Hindu scriptures
don’t support Brahmins and other Hindutva forces
beef-eating and animal-sacrifice
was not a new phenomenon in India
Ashvamedha or horse sacrifice was practiced
cow, bull, and oxen faced ritual killing too
tens of animals were regarded fit
for sacrifice and consumption
beef was eaten by many before the prohibition
gods Agni and Indra loved cow and bull meat
a goat was sacrificed for Princess Gandhari
(Gandhari of Gandhara*
would see her first husband die soon, it was predicted
she married a goat who was then killed
her second husband was Dhritarashtra)
the Brahmins and other upper-caste Hindus
with the Hindutva stick
wants to maintain the status quo
and so the threats and violence
you eat beef and we’ll kill you
because you killed the “holy cow”
or we’ll rape you or disfigure you with acid!
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com
*Now Taxila and Peshawar in present day Pakistan.