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Westernisation does not lead to rape, says Javed Akhtar

Westernisation does not lead to rape, says Javed Akhtar

Akhtar debunks claims that rape/harassment in India is caused by 'western culture.'
Updated 23 Jan, 2017

The mass molestation in Bangalore on New Year's Eve was said to be a cause of "western culture," by Indian officials; however, Javed Akhtar recently shared what he thinks is the actual root cause of rape and harassment in India.

At the Jaipur Literature Festival, veteran lyricist Akhtar said, "Westernisation in no way leads to such incidents. It is because of two basic reasons: social segregation and economic divide."

Also read: Bollywood celebs call out misogyny in India after Bangalore mass molestation

Commenting on David Guetta's concerts being cancelled in Bangalore and Mumbai following the Bangalore incident, Akhtar added that Indian actors or international stars performing in Bangalore are also not the reason for such crimes.

Instead, he explained that scores of young men from towns don't engage in long conversations with the opposite sex till they hit 25.

"How would somebody, who has never even spoken to a girl, appreciate her and understand that she is something more than her body? For him, it is only body and lust."

Societal segregation, in fact, is what triggers "unwanted temperament", added Akhtar.

Citing the famous 2012 Delhi rape case, he said, "The other reason is the economic divide. What happened to the girl in Delhi does not reflect lust or want for sex. It showed anger, frustration and how much of venom they had against the society. They did not just rape her, it was brutality."

"People come from small towns, live in shabby conditions and they see the rich and affluent leading luxurious life. Added to it is their previous experience — segregation. They have not talked properly to a girl ever."

He added that the "future definitely belongs to women, not to men," and instead of pointing fingers at the west -- a futile attempt and one without a solution -- the problem should be recognised.

"If you do wrong diagnosis of the disease of your country, then you can never get rid of it. You have to accept the real reasons that lead to such incidents."

Comments

Ali Jan 23, 2017 11:34am
Whose son and daughter is in film industry so why would he oppose western culture. They dont have to do with any culture except bollywood culture.
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Sana Jan 23, 2017 11:42am
What a sham reason Javed Sb. There is no doubt there is a need of proper interaction and mutual respect between sexes. It is the obvious objectification of women and sexuality, so much hailed and popularized by your Bollywood, that needs to be checked. Well on West -- the boys in USA and Europe who grow up in co-ed and have day to day interaction with opposite gender cause the biggest rape statistics in West.
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saudagar Jan 23, 2017 11:45am
I dont know how many would understand this except those deep in biological research , that rapes are not unique to humans , animal kingdom ( wild animals ) show forced proximity, or stealing the mates very often as in primates and even penquins , monkeys are notorius for such activities , NAT GEO has some short films of this , anthropologists have been claiming forced behavior since times ago, social active people so called intellectuals dont know this hence continue the discussion for ever , i am not saying this before researching myself as a genetist and anthropologist myself .
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Dipak singham Jan 23, 2017 11:49am
That's why from primary & secondary school should be only co-ed because maximum boy's & girls leave their study in class 8 -10 from small town or villages & this guys never interact with each other opposite sex.
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Karachi Jan 23, 2017 11:51am
@Sana I second you.. He just said what he think may be the reason, lets not forget that the person is coming from very glamorous and lust full society of Bollywood. His version is not absolute.
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saudagar Jan 23, 2017 11:51am
and almost forgot to add hat this all does not mean one should support such heinious activities ,but may humans so called developed primates become civilized one day .
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Rajendra Jan 23, 2017 12:00pm
I think, he is right in this case.
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Sidharth Nair Jan 23, 2017 12:06pm
Everyone who is criticizing Western culture and Javed saab, please remember that in India even young children get raped. It's lack of proper and harsh law against rape. That's all.
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faryal Jan 23, 2017 12:13pm
Spot on!
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TRUMPOFINDIA Jan 23, 2017 12:49pm
Absolutely right.
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Suren Singh Sahni Jan 23, 2017 02:31pm
Javed is absolutely right.Rapes are more common in non western countries.
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Pakistan Zindabad Jan 23, 2017 02:39pm
Yes Dear Akhtar. They were celebrating the Pure Indian Culture while molested. Ain't that?
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Pakistan Zindabad Jan 23, 2017 03:32pm
@Suren Singh Sahni I think you and Javed must learn to research.
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sATT Jan 23, 2017 03:49pm
Sickness leads to rape but some believes this is not sickness but natural reaction.
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Bluecollar Jan 23, 2017 05:52pm
Mr. Akhtar , promiscuous attitude promoted by Western culture has pushed aside the conventional Indian culture and values. Bollywood and its mega stars have promoted western culture.
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Ahsan,Karachi Jan 23, 2017 06:10pm
Javed Akhtar in my opinion is a person of dubious nature. I can not digest his opinion as I had personal experience of chatting with him while I was working in Muscat
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Shafiq Jan 23, 2017 07:05pm
@Sana The short and pertinent response is, Rubbish, period. I lived in the west for sixty years taught in , schools for decades, never say anything what you are talking about. Yes there is always an odd ball but never the disrespect shown to women in India and Pakistan.
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Deepali Jan 23, 2017 11:04pm
Yes......Vulgar films like Befikre, sunny lione films , all bhutt camp movies (by the way nowdays almost all the movies weather it is a Deepika ,Priyanka or kareena or ranveer Singh movie ..It is like a emraan hashmi movie) has nothing to do with it. Honey Singh songs which a young boy to adults listen to day in and day out have no impact on their minds... Cheap item songs where the leading heroine has no other work but to dance like a dance bargirl( as if that is the only thing left for heroines to do) in every next movie ...Which run on television 24/7....has no so social impact and how women are viewed.... All these things can have negetive influence on anybody whether someone is from rural area or urban area.....
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schali Jan 24, 2017 12:35am
@Ali Please read carefully what he said and take a few minutes to think. It will make sense if you don't try to reject his ideas just because he writes for films or his children are in film industry.
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Shahzad Jan 24, 2017 02:47am
@Sidharth Nair spot on dude
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Sandeep Jan 24, 2017 03:11am
Spot on!!
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Siva D Jan 24, 2017 05:08am
Totally in sync with Javed Akhtar. A literary scholar with deep societal insight.
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Siva D Jan 24, 2017 05:19am
@Shafiq Totally agree. I have lived approx half my life in India and half in the US. Never saw disrespect shown to women (for being women) in my time here. We have miles to go in this aspect. A young girl walking by herself is seen almost like a dangling piece of meat in most of our (Indian) cities. I see though that with increasing urabanization, this is slowly changing. We are not there yet but moving in the right direction.
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Be Fair Jan 24, 2017 05:59am
Mr Javaid Akhter it's simple,you did not arrange appropriate security and the boys got chance. It's nothing to do with western of eastern dress.There are numerous celebrity shows in Dubai, but nobody dare to touch , in your country there are audience relatives of police,and they do such immoral and indecent acts. Go and check once again.
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zafar Jan 24, 2017 07:22am
Absolutely agree with Javed. Greater male-female interaction is the way to resolve this divide.
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illawarrior Jan 24, 2017 09:18am
Rape is a very complex issue, for which there is no simple solution. Studies have shown that the primary motivation in rape is not sexual lust, but power, domination and control. Elderly women get raped, young children (male and female) get raped - cases where lust does not really enter into it. These beasts just want someone they can dominate and humiliate. If all they wanted was sex, willing partners could be found, especially in the west (also in the east, just have to look a bit harder). As for rape statistics, they are notoriously unreliable, as most rapes go unreported, especially in societies that blame and shame the innocent victims.
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y-fi Jan 24, 2017 09:42am
Oh really Mr. ??? It means then West is teaching the world modesty on their channels promoting nudity and sexually explicit content. In former times, these things rarely happened ... they reason behind was modesty. Indeed Javad is right in one case that future belongs to Women and by that time it will be the end of the world.
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Teacher Jan 25, 2017 08:43am
I disagree with Javed sahb's diagnoses of the issue in hand. I believe it is the absence of moral and ethical upbringing. And for moral upbringing there must be strong family institutions. It is family institution which work upon child's character_building. Unfortunately, our family institution is decaying very rapidly. Young generation's emotional and spiritual needs are not being catered from family. Therefore, they are running away from civilized way of life under the influence of Western culture. And they are unable to control their animal instinct.
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Deepali Jan 25, 2017 11:09pm
Javed sb never accepts the I'll effect of current Bollywood movies on the society....
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