Besharmi Morcha

Besharmi Morcha, also known as "Slutwalk arthaat Besharmi Morcha", is the Indian equivalent of SlutWalk. This was an organization started in 2011 by Canadian women who protested Toronto's police public statements suggesting that women could avoid rape and sexual assault by the way they dressed.[1][2] They have conducted events across the world for education about this issue.

The first Besharmi Morcha took place in Bhopal on 17 July 2011,[3] followed by Besharmi Morcha Delhi on 31 July 2011.[4] Besharmi Morcha Lucknow took place on 21 August 2011.[5][6]

Besharmi Morcha Bangalore, coordinated to coincide with similar events in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong on 4 December 2011, was cancelled by police after they received objections.[7] A police spokesperson said that groups opposing Besharmi Morcha had "threatened to hold a 'violent protest'".[8] Dhillan Mowli, one of the organisers, reported that she had been told that the event was "not part of Indian culture".[9] Mowli also said, "The vice-president of a women's organisation called me and said that if any women were seen in skimpy clothing during the Slutwalk, they would be beaten with brooms."[9]

Christie Thompson, writing for Ms Magazine, observed "...women aren’t marching for the right to walk down the street dressed in barely-there clothes, as critics suggest. They’re fighting for the right to walk down the street. Period."[10]

Translation

Besharmi Morcha (Hindi: बेशर्मी मोर्चा) is most often translated into English as "shameless protest" or "shameless front". It has also been translated as "March of the Shameless"[11] and "Shameless Campaign".[12] Besharmi Morcha was chosen as the name in India to address its diverse cultural aspects and languages.[13][14]

The word "slut" does not translate directly or equivalently into Indian languages such as Hindi. The nearest equivalent direct translation of slut is ranɖii (Hindi: रंडी)[15] meaning "prostitute".[16] Organizers worried that observers would believe that protesters were identifying as prostitutes, or seeking the right to be prostitutes, rather than protesting to protect women's safety and achieve freedom from sexual violence.

Besharmi (Hindi: बेशर्मी) translates as shamelessly, brazenly and even boldly. It may imply a quality of obscenity or obscenely.[17]

Morcha (Hindi: मोर्चा) is closely linked to the idea of protest and action. It often indicates political protest and has military overtones.[18][19]

Besharmi Morcha has multiple meanings that are not readily translated into English. It is generally summed up as meaning "shamelessly and boldly protesting in a united way that others may see as wrong or even obscene".

References
  1. Bell, Sarah (11 June 2011). "Slutwalk London: 'Yes means yes and no means no'". BBC News.
  2. "homepage". SlutWalk Toronto. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  3. Pereira, Aaron (18 July 2011). "Bhopal Besharmi Morcha gets lukewarm response". Hindustan Times. HT Media Limited. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012.
  4. विनीत खरे – Vineet Khare (31 July 2011). "दिल्ली में निकला बेशर्मी मोर्चा – Shamelessly out front in Delhi". BBC हिंदी – BBC Hindi. BBC. Archived from the original on 2 July 2012.
  5. "After Delhi, Bhopal, Slutwalk makes its Lucknow debut". The Hindu. 22 August 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014.
  6. "Slutwalk in Lucknow". NewKerala.com. NKDC Media Solutions. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021.
  7. "Why Bangalore cops cancelled permission for SlutWalk". NDTV.com. NDTV Convergence Limited. 9 December 2011. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012.
  8. "SlutWalk cancelled as they had it coming". DNA Daily News And Analysis. Bangalore. DNA. 5 December 2011. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012.
  9. Bhalla, Nita. "Bangalore SlutWalk cancelled as not "part of Indian culture" – Report". TrustLaw – Thomson Reuters Foundation. Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  10. Thompson, Christie (6 July 2011). "SlutWalk Delhi Starts "Immodest" Discussion in India". Ms Magazine. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012.
  11. Bhalla, Nita (31 July 2011). "Hundreds protest rape in conservative India's toned down "SlutWalk"". Delhi. TrustLaw – Thomson Reuters Foundation. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017 – via Reuters.
  12. Chhaya, Mayank (21 July 2011). "The not-at-all slutty Slut Walk of Bhopal". Blog: South Asia Daily. Mayank Chhaya. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017.
  13. "Besharmi Morcha, "Shameless Protest"". rememberoursisterseverywhere.com. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017.
  14. "No 'SlutWalk' in Delhi as 'Besharmi Morcha' takes over". OneIndia News. Greynium Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
  15. "Hindi-English translation for "रंडी"". bab.la Dictionary. bab.la. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012.
  16. NILANJANA S. ROY (14 June 2011). "Ready or Not, New Delhi Gets a Women's Street Protest". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011.
  17. "Get Meaning of besharmi in English. बेशर्मी का मतलब अंग्रेजी में जानिए". hinkhoj.com Hindi to English dictionary. HinKhoj InfoLabs LLP. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016.
  18. "Get Meaning of morcha in English. मोर्चा का मतलब अंग्रेजी में जानिए". hinkhoj.com Hindi to English dictionary. HinKhoj InfoLabs LLP. Archived from the original on 21 November 2011.
  19. "Hindi-English translation for "मोर्चा"". bab.la Dictionary. bab.la. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015.
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