Rise against the Injustice

Naina Jha is the Program and Outreach Officer at Patna. She has worked with hospitals, advertising and PR agencies and has been working with ICWA to educate slum kids since 2005. Recently, she conducted a 4 day workshop for children from the slums teaching them English through dance and drama, organised by Access, Patna. She has also worked as a freelancer with Gender Resource Centre, Patna. She loves working for the uplifting of slum children and gender sensitisation and wishes to make this society a better place to live in. 

Rise against the Injustice

College life awaits- new dreams, new opportunities & new challenges

Happy enthusiastic & excited were my feelings

But the very first day I stepped out

All I could feel was horrified, scared & ashamed!

Because a group of boys stalked, commented & laughed

They laughed even harder when they saw me vulnerable.

Though they were doing wrong

I got worried and curious;

I was in a dilemma. What wrong had I done to be welcomed like this?

I kept on thinking.. had I worn clothes too short or was the colour too loud?

Had I kept a smile too broad to attract those stinkards?

When I couldn’t get answers, I reached out to my father

He said, “Beta! Rise against such rogues,

Break your silence against such horrors,

And fight like your own saviour!”

And then I decided to let those beasts know that I would not allow them to make me ashamed

For something I haven’t done

For it’s my right to roam whenever & wherever I want

I will not allow them to rattle me;

And most importantly I will fight back by stepping out with more confidence & courage;

I will raise my voice louder to let those criminals know that they cannot stop me from conquering the world!

Opinions are of the writer.