This week for our weekly column of Hyderabond, The Pioneer interacts with Ramesh Pittala Mudiraj, a Telangana High Court advocate, the first Indian to recite the Indian Constitution, and the first Indian to make a national record by reciting IPC sections from the Telugu Book of Records, who has been working towards spreading legal awareness and women’s safety in Hyderabad.
Tejal Sinha
When we talk of women’s empowerment and women’s rights, is it the only struggle and cause of concern for women themselves? As a society, do we all actually come together and raise our voices? Well, to a pretty short extent, yes, but what do we do for women to keep them aware of their legal safeguards?
And so, in order to educate Indian citizens, not just women, about the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for women’s safety, we have Ramesh Pittala Mudiraj, who is selflessly
being the messiah for the one in disquiet. Hailing from Marriguda village in Nalgonda district, Ramesh had shifted to Hyderabad in 2000 for his higher studies. If you wondered, How will I prove that the man was staring at my private parts? or If it took seven years to give justice to Nirbhaya, who went through a brutal rape, how will I get justice if I file an FIR for eve-teasing, Ramesh has been an aid in bringing women all the answers to these types of questions.
“There have been so many offences against women that are happening, so why can’t a man stand for a woman, and why don’t they create awareness? If we create awareness of the punishments, people would be scared to commit an offence if they knew about its repercussions, and the crime against women would stop,” shares the guardian angel, who has been working on the cause since 2013. Initially, when one of his relatives faced eve-teasing and didn’t get the right support at the right time, it was then that he realised he needed to become an advocate to help out many other women too. The city has played a major role in his career. Hyderabad, to him, he says, “Is a hub where people can grab job opportunities and can explore. So I got very good opportunities in various MNC companies, during which I started my practice as an advocate.”
Ramesh has been actively a part of the Sanghamitra initiative by IPS officer VC Sajjanar, as an initiative to help out women during the pandemic, and has been operating to date with its efforts. As a part of this initiative, Ramesh has been travelling around various districts, colleges, colonies, and MNCs to raise awareness. Through these sessions and awareness programmes, it has benefited over 20,000 students. For his active participation, he has been awarded the Telangana State
Police Awards by Cyberabad police, which was the 4th women conclave award, and recently also received the 5th women conclave award from TS police. As we talk of women’s safety, let’s take an example of the Disha rape and murder case. One of the reasons that the heinous crime took such a terrible turn was the delay in filing of the FIR. However, he reveals it was not only in Disha’s case; he says, “Even now, there have been incidents where women have been subjected to harassment or who are staying in any location when an incident occurs, and when they approach a nearby police stations, some police officers, but not all of them, are holding off because they claim that this jurisdiction doesn’t come to our limit. According to the law, anyone, including men, women or anyone, can go to the closest police station and report an incident by filing a zero FIR. Zero FIR is a fantastic concept. However, a few police stations are not responding, maybe due to a lack of knowledge or negligence.” Ramesh, who has visited several districts and cities, feels that the Telangana government as a whole has been pretty alert, especially in Hyderabad, with initiatives like SHE Teams, Bharosa centres, NRI cells, and more.Withal, he feels that the corporate colleges in Hyderabad should be more alert and open to conducting these awareness programmes. “Though I have been receiving very good responses from colleges in rural areas, there are many colleges that keep delaying on conducting these sessions, stating it would affect their classes. My point is that it’s barely going to take 45 minutes for a session and 15 minutes for a quick Q&A. Colleges should be open to conducting these sessions and just not show sympathy on social media when an incident takes place.”
He even recalls one of the incidents that had just occurred a day after Independence Day in Sanath Nagar, where a girl was being followed by a guy. However, even after repeated pleas, the guy didn’t stop. And the worst thing he recalls there was that “People there were just staring at them, and no one came forward to help her.
However, when I was on my way from the court, I saw all of it and went to the spot. The girl revealed that she had been being blackmailed by him for a long time, and a few days ago, he emotionally blackmailed her to undress and click her nude pictures. I immediately took her to the Sanath Nagar police station, and the officials were quick enough to arrest the accused with the help of the girl. But during all of it, she was so mentally affected that she couldn’t even recall her address or her parents’ contact number. Doesn’t this bring pain to our hearts while we read it? Just a day after Independence Day! Have women really gotten the independence that they deserve?
Hyderabad, to him, is one of the safest cities, even as per the records, with the most number of CCTV cameras installed. He shares, “Police officials have been urging people to install these cameras in their colonies and corporations for their own safety. However, there are a few police officers here who are treating people very badly. On the eve of August 15, there was an incident where a woman who had come to the city for her daughter’s marriage was waiting for some transportation in L.B. Nagar. When the police officials were patrolling there, a constable and head constable came up to her and inquired about where she was going, what was in the bag, and all that. Later, they immediately took her to the PS and bashed her in and out to such an extent that she peed in her saree. Rachakonda police commissioner DS Chauhan immediately suspended the constable, constable Sumalatha, and the head constable. But unfortunately, they did not take action against the sub-inspector who beat her.”
But on the contrary, he also highlights how the higher police officials in Hyderabad have always been supportive, friendly, and respectful towards any citizen. Talking of the safety in Hyderabad, he highlights, “As compared to other cities, Hyderabad and Telangana as a whole, have been one of the safest cities and states. But there needs to be more Sakhi centres, Bharosa centres, and counselling centres, and there needs to be more focus on women’s safety in major areas. For instance, how many people know that if a man uses abusive words, there’s a prison sentence of one year? If a person follows a woman even after a second warning, he’ll be imprisoned for three years. The first voyeuristic act’s imprisonment is three years; the second is five years; the third is 7–10 years; and a huge fine. Not many people are aware that rape victims will get compensation of Rs 10 lakh and acid attack victims will get compensation of Rs 7 lakh from the government. Even if someone is trying to attack, one can kill them in self-defence as per Section 100 of the IPC. It’s not about covering faces, but attacking people trying to molest or do anything against women. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bill will have a very good impact on women’s safety.”
Well, as we come to the end of this informative segment of Hyderabond, he shares that Hyderabad is a one-stop shop for all the job opportunities and for people to explore various fields. “Hyderabad is establishing more and more MNC companies. The government should come up with good support for start-up companies, and there needs to be more job opportunities for youth. If we engage youth with job opportunities, they will focus on jobs and not on crime. Women’s safety in Hyderabad: I really like it. Ever since a baby is born, the government looks for their safety, compared to another city.”
One can anytime approach him for awareness on women’s safety and counselling at 95733095095.
