Raigarh: This January, a 17-year-old girl was raped by a youth from her own village. The accused was then arrested and sent to jail but the girl’s family was outcasted by the village panchayat.
The incident was brought to notice when the family of a minor rape survivor couldn’t organize a non-veg fest for the community to purify her.
The father had no option but to reach out to the police after the bizarre punishment given to his family by the local panchayat. They also told the family they wouldn’t be included back again until the feast was hosted.
MP: Father of a 17-yr-old rape survivor alleges that village Panchayat in Rajgarh Dist declared them an outcast after he failed to follow its diktat to organise a community feast that would 'purify' her, says, "Until feast is organised we won't be included in the cast & village." pic.twitter.com/bTrcj0pt3a
— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2019
In a country where victim shaming is rampant, bizarre diktats like this shouldn’t go unnoticed, the village panchayat should be held accountable for their decision and action must be taken against them for declaring a rape survivor as ‘impure’. It is shameful to see that people with a medieval mindset think it was the victim’s fault that she was raped and she should hold a feast for villagers so that they can help the family in getting purified by having food free of cost.
