Monologue By A Young Girl Who Is Constantly Scared By The Plight Of Our Country
“Am I next?”
I truly and honestly do not know. But do you know the one thing that I know very clearly? It is that I do not want to be India’s daughter. Yes, you read it right: I do not want to be India’s daughter. I do not want to be called the daughter of a country where women - or more appropriately, goddesses - are worshipped in ‘homes’ and holy places; but what about the women who belong to the country at this time? What about “India’s daughters" like me? I am just a daughter, but I do not know whose.
I have this constant fear within myself, which makes me ask, “Am I next?” Do you know the cause of this fear? I'm afraid, because in the five minutes you take to read this, some predator out there is kidnapping their prey - and in the next ten minutes that you'll take to think about this, the same prey will be dumped somewhere. If the heavenly powers-that-be feel generous, then maybe there's a chance that in the next two minutes, this case will be reported to the lawful authorities. Seventeen minutes is all it takes in this country to completely, absolutely, irrevocably change somebody’s life forever.
Yes, this scares me - and it should scare you too. “Am I next?” I truly do not know.
-Meenal Khurana
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