WE DID NOT LEARN IT FROM THE NEWS. We learned it from each other.
Last week, a woman who had in 2017 dared to file a case against a powerful man, posted an update on a close friend's Instagram story. The man, who she had accused of chasing her through the streets of Chandigarh, attempting to force his way into her car, had just been appointed Assistant Advocate General for the Haryana government.
Seven and a half years later, the trial is still crawling. And now, the man she named was going to speak on behalf of the State in court.
We were on the phone, both staring at the government notice on our screens. Silent. A gut punch. We have both lived the aftermath of speaking up. We have been trolled, slandered, and told to be quiet. We've seen institutions twist themselves into silence when a powerful man is involved.
In August 2017, the woman had filed a police complaint against Vikas Barala, son of a BJP MP, and his friend. She said they chased her car late at night, tried to corner her, and attempted to open her door. The outrage was swift. Women took to the streets and social media. #AintNoCinderella was launched in response to politicians who blamed the woman for being out at night.
But seven years later, Vikas Barala was about to be handed a government post.
