What is Digital Rape?

When I first heard of the term 'Digital R*', I thought, the R word was to be taken as a metaphor, and Digital R* meant damaging the reputation of someone through the use of digital tools like computer, phone, laptops etc. But I was wrong. 

Digit means number/integer. However, when it comes to Digital R, 'digital' refers to the digits on a person's hands or feet. Digital R is a form of sexual assault where a person forcibly and without concent inserts their fingers or toes into another person's private parts. In India, Digital R was recognised in 2013 after the Nirabhaya R case of 2012. It was defined and punished as a R offence under Sections 375 and 376 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2013. Hence, if one commits Digital R, it doesn't make the offender less of a rapist. The offender will be tried in the same way as a rapist. 

I have just defined the term in the simplest way. If you are interested to learn more about it, then you can pick up books, articles and newspapers on or relating to this topic. 

Beyond the Daily Gossip: A Personal Reflection on Loan Defaulters

Every morning, before I sip my first cup of tea, I go through the pages of the local daily. Most of the news are from last day's social media posts and updates. But the catch? We don't get to see the names or institutes/ companies who are summoned by the court for being loan defaulters. I don't have Schadenfreude complex but the situation of those people amuses me. How did they land up there? 

Borrowing from a bank is not a joke. In Nagaland, bank loans are considered as the last resort, thanks to our strong community bonding. When friends, family or relatives are in no position to lend then we knock the doors of the banks. Paying off the credit amount and the interest is truly courageous. Many a times, we spent our lifetime paying the interest alone. 

Sometimes, the defaulters' names (made clearer because of their home address or their institutes' names) comes as a shock to me. I am guilty for judging them but the passing rhetoric, 'Aren't they rich?/ Isn't the institute doing financially well?' crosses my mind. 

I won't be able to waive off their loans or of any help to them financially. But it teaches me a good lesson, not to borrow which you can't pay, to carefully consider the interest rate and to know the value of your assets and the amount of your liabilities. If not then apart from being dragged to the court, the unworthy recognition of your name in the local dailies might make the readers look at you with pity like I do. 

Beyond Privilege: Can Reservations Create True Equality in Nagaland ULBs?

After many delays and deliberations, finally, there will be 33 % reservation for women in Nagaland ULB elections, which is stated to be held on 26th June, 2024. It's a progressive step, as it will have an inclusive outlook on the policies meant for the targeted urban population. Hopefully, it will benefit women in a greater frame. Young Naga girls who have political ambitions need a home grown woman leader as a role model to shape their political dreams. 

Till date, apart from their 'mothers' (who are not even interested in local electoral politics), they don't seem to have to a Naga female politician who can act like a role model. But yes, same can be said when it comes to choosing a role model from the pack of male politicians. It's just that, it will be easy to atleast pick a name when it comes to male politicians. However, the need of the hour is not to search for a perfect role for the young girls who aspires to be future legislators. The need, however, is to make electoral politics free from the biasness that revolves around gender lines.

My only apprehension is, what if the majority of the women who are elected for ULB are from privilege backgrounds, say wife of /daughter of. In such cases, the whole argument will take a different course. Anyway, it's better to have a woman from a privilege background than not to have woman at all. It's better to break the cycle of no/under representation. Lastly, the supporters of gender equality have come a long way, but it looks like the journey hasn't ended yet.