How Would Sita or Draupadi Have Filed Harassment Cases Today?

Arunabh Kumar, the CEO of The Viral Fever, is known to make content on his YouTube channel go viral – little did he know that he himself would go viral, but for all the wrong reasons.

On Sunday, an anonymous post by ‘Indian Fowler’ went up on Medium. The writer accused Arunabh of sexual harassment. And soon, many more women came out of the woodwork, and accused the 34-year-old of repeated sexual harassment.

Now, doesn’t his story sound familiar... Remember the likes of Pachauri and Tejpal? The old wine in a new bottle cliché swirls perfectly well here.

But there’s something else that bothers us. It’s the fact that harassment was prevalent even in our mythological stories. Sita, Draupadi, and Ahalya all faced it in some form or another. But the thought that got us going was this: How would they have reported it in today’s day and age?

Also Read: More Allegations of Sexual Harassment Against TVF’s Arunabh Kumar

Sita

I’m here to file a report of abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc, against Ravana under the section 366 IPC.

Section 344 – Wrongful confinement for ten or more days.

I’ll also like to lodge a report against my husband Ram under section 498A – Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty.

I married for love. My husband, Ram, my brother-in-law Lakshman and I left the city behind, to go live in the forest for 14 years. Ravana and his sister would often make life miserable for us. But I urged Ram to ignore him. One day, Ravana crossed the line. He disguised himself and abducted me. I begged to be freed but he refused to listen. Ram and Lakshman eventually came to my rescue. But they humiliated me. They questioned my integrity and my morals. I kept quiet. It was my fault. None of this would have happened if I hadn't stepped out of the Lakshman Rekha.

– Sita, Ram’s wife

Draupadi

I’ll need to file a complaint against the Kauravas and my family, the Pandavas. Kauravas will be charged under section 354B, 354, 354A IPC, and both Pandavas and Kauravas will be charged under various sanctions of the Public Gambling Act 1867.

I was a happy bride until I entered my in-laws house. I was told that I was to be shared among five brothers. I was shocked that my husband Arjun agreed to his mother's demands. I never reported any of it because I thought it was my duty to keep my family happy. I had resigned myself to fate, until the horrific day when my husband Yudhishthira pawned me to his cousin Duryodhana during a game. I was groped and sexually harassed that day in front of my five husbands and their cousins. Nobody came forward to help me. They just stood around silently, watching me suffer.

– Draupadi, wife of Pandavas

Mandodari

I’m here to file a report against Angada, the son of Bali, under the section 354 IPC for assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty and section 354 A – Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment.

My husband had a weakness for good-looking women. I thought I could change him, but in vain. When Ravana kidnapped Sita, I knew I had failed. During Ravana’s puja, Ram sent Angada, the son of Bali to distract him. Their strategy? To attack me, of course. They pulled my hair and groped me. But my husband continued to pray. He did not look away, let alone come to my rescue. Does God really listen to those who lack even a shred of humanity? What did I do to deserve this? What did Sita do? Why is it that women are always used as pawns during war?

– Mandodari, Ravana’s wife

Ahalya

I’ve been cheated and used. Please lodge a complaint against god Indra under Section 375 IPC (Fourthly) – With her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband, and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married.

Indra to be charged under section 493 – Cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage.

I was married off to Gautama Maharishi at a very young age. He was much older than I was and we didn't have much in common. But I was a dutiful wife and I did the best I could. Everything was fine until Indra came into my life. He disguised himself as my husband in order to trick me into sleeping with him. I felt cheated and used. But when my husband found out, he refused to listen to me and punished me. Two men decided the terms of my life. One tricked me, the other punished me.

– Ahalya, Gautama Maharishi’s wife