A moralistic cop spots a female sex worker on two-wheels. What happens next?
Jarinaben, a Samvedna leader, had organised a meeting of sex workers in Mandvi, 56 kms away from Bhuj. It was going to be a long drive. A KMVS member hopped on to Jarinaben’s two wheeler and off they rode, with the wind in their hair, towards the meeting. The rest of the team members followed in a car. The peaceful, happy convoy was unfortunately spotted enroute by a moralistic cop. He recognised Jarinaben, and the sight of a sex worker on two-wheels with a pillion rider, was clearly too much for him. Each rotten prejudice and stereotype came bubbling up to the surface.
He finally forced the two-wheeler to stop and subjected the women to righteous officious interrogation. ‘Who are you? Who is the pillion rider? Where are you taking her (the KMVS member riding pillion)?’
The car in which other team members were travelling caught up with this highway fracas, and the women hurriedly piled out, wondering what on earth had happened. The policeman got even more agitated. He declared the car a ‘suspicious vehicle’; without warning or permission, whipped out his smart phone and began taking photographs. Click. Click. Click. From all angles. All the while, using fairly rough language and threatening to report this ‘illegal activity.’
He had regrettably not counted on empowered women. And what a respectful tongue lashing they gave him - they told him about their rights; they told him about their freedom to travel; they told him about the difference between going to a meeting and trafficking! Quite unnerved, he finally retreated and backed down.
This time the situation was handled. But to make sure no other Samvedna sex-worker (heading off to a legitimate and lawful meeting) triggers a self righteous cop into hysterics and harassment, Jarinaben and others went off to the local police station some days later.
Now, the local police have been duly informed about the Samvedna Collective, about KMVS, and the National Network of Sex Workers. They now know that sex workers do have constitutional rights, including the right to have meetings! And, they can ride two wheels, with the wind blowing freely in their hair.
