I was doing my usual household chores when my phone rang. No, it was not from my home, it was an unknown number. I use this number very rarely, that too when I am in Kolkata. No one knows this number except my ex, out-laws and of course my parents. I picked up and nice warm female voice greeted me.

• Yes, who is this.

• Sir, I am Nidhi from XXX insurance.

• How did you get this number?

• I spoke to you nine months back sir. You gave me your address, I think…..it is…

• I gave you my address? :O. I never do that. Especially to a stranger. I don’t believe this. It is impossible.

• Possible sir, otherwise how did I get your address correct?

• So you were working in this company nine months back?

• I am here for last seven years sir, I am very satisfied with my job and I don’t want to change or leave the job.

• Hmm….So you are stalking me for last nine months and I didn’t even realize. Why are you stalking me?

• I am not stalking you sir, I just called you ..

• And how do you know that I am using this number now…which I rarely do? Tell me from which detective agency do you belong to? Or you are from any women’s group checking on me? I know that many national women’s organizations are after me. They just need one opportunity.

• NO I am not from either. I am from an insurance company.

• Interesting! OK, I am not interested in any insurance product and I am busy right now. So please..(I tried to be as polite as possible)

• That’s ok sir, but can’t we speak for sometime?

• Why? I told you I am not interested in your sales and also busy right now.

• ..But sir, your life is valuable so why not spend some time listening to what I say. Maybe you will change your mind.

• My life is not valuable. There is no value of it so I do not need any insurance.

• That’s interesting. So far no one has spoken like that to me. NO one has ever told me that their life is not valuable. Why do you think your life is not valuable?

• (after a pause)..just like that.

• Tell me the reason

There was a long pause as I didn’t want to tell her the reason and also I was busy but didn’t know how to end the conversation without being rude. It was really long pause from my side..she continued..

• Come on, tell me. Don’t be shy. (she tried flirting, I had to break my silence)

Ummm, well there is no point in saving money for others and living a life of poor. Also I am not interested in insurance and I make my own investment plans.

Haha..you are a very interesting person. Are you married?

Why, you want to marry me?

What is your age?

That is very personal

Common ..only for girls it is personal.

Ok guess!

From your voice?

Ya

Ok, from your voice I think you are between 25-30. Am I right?

I don’t give any personal information to strangers, I am still wondering when did I give my address to you.

Why are you so angry? It is ok if you don’t want any insurance or investment plan. We can just chat right.

Hmm..getting rid of you is difficult.

Everyone says so. I am very good in talking. People can’t avoid me…

I can understand that. Send your husband to me.

Do I sound that old? I am not even 25.

Ok then send your BF. I need to brainwash him before he marries you.

I don’t have any BF

Why you have any problem? From your voice you seem to be beautiful and ok.

I am just looking. Tell me are you married?

I don’t want any more parasites in my life..

WHAT? You are calling wife a parasite?

Yes, they have only rights no responsibility.

What are you saying, wife takes so much of responsibility..

Oh is it? Tell me ..

She cooks, washes clothes….

Wait, wait…so NO husband should keep any cook or housemaid right? Since, this is wife’s responsibility.

That is only to help her

Since it is her responsibility, she should pay for this outsourcing. But who pays? Husband, why?

How can the wife pay? Husband is supposed to pay, that is the rule in India ..

So it is husband’s duty to do these household works, not wife’s right?

Well, wife also does a lot of other things..

Tell me any one no..

She raises husband’s children..

What if she refuses? Can the husband do anything to her?

Long pause from her side, she obviously didn’t know this situation could arise. So I continued…

• Listen there is a judgement that says wife can deny carrying husband’s child.

• That is nonsense..

• Go and tell our SC about that. I can give you our chief justice’s contact details

• But what about love..It is not law or courts always. There is love

• Ya, when a girl thinks it is love when she thinks it becomes rape and whole India stands up to change all laws and punish the BF.

• But women don’t have any rights today..

• Oh, is it? So far I have shown you that a wife has NO responsibility. Now tell me what right girls don’t have..

• See guys take advantage of us. They cheat us and rape

• Are you referring to live-ins termed as rape? Or one night stands? Are those girls children to understand live in may not end up in a marriage. If they are SO sincere then why don’t they stay separate till marriage?

• I want to change the topic..

• Madam..you are educated right?.Don’t talk only about rights. You have all the rights and only girls have all the rights. Talk about women’s responsibility too. Do you dare?

• Where are women empowered? See, there are so many cases of rape every day.

• That is safety issue madam not empowerment. Empowerment is meant as “legal empowerment”. There are already existing laws to ensure women’s safety, that doesn’t mean we need any new laws. What about learning self defense techniques for safety?

• Women are being killed for dowry, they are raped. Have you ever heard any man being raped by women or tortured by his wife or in-laws?

• Yes, I have. The reason you don’t hear about women raping men or see these in newspaper because there is no section under which these can be filed. I know in Dehradun a gang of girls gang-raped a man in 2010 and then took his MMS. But NO law changed after that. In fact no one still knows. I know in Pune, Aundh a four year old boy was raped by their 19 yr old maid. I know Pinky Pramanik case..anything else…..oh and in domestic violence, there are lot of cases…list will not end..

• But women everywhere are victims of DV.

• Then why do you need to marry? Stop marriage…tell me will you marry?

• I don’t know why you are so angry, but not every woman is same. Maybe you were cheated by someone but there are many guys cheat girls.

• And they are punished too. Why the girls are not punished? I know that not all girls are same and there are many good girls etc etc…but I don’t have the magic formula to know who will not misuse these laws and strip me of my hard earned property..

• I will not do that..I will be a good housewife. I will leave my job and take care of all my household responsibilities

• Leave your job?…haha, so you like being dependant on others rather than being self-dependent. Also this you are saying now, tomorrow you may change your mind and do nothing and enjoy with your husband’s money. Who knows?

• I really don’t know what happened to you? Why you are so angry? Tell me are you divorced?

• Madam, I don’t give my personal information to strangers.

• I want to change the topic.

• Why? Because you couldn’t prove that women don’t have any responsibility

• Think about your mother, didn’t she take responsibility..

• Forget about my mother madam..she never asks for any rights, so she has everything. Today’s women are entirely different.

• Tell me why are you so angry? Did your wife cheat on you?

• That is again personal..I don’t talk about personal things with unknown stalkers

• But don’t you think that these laws are needed for our safety? Why are you against women empowerment?

• I am NOT. If women are not empowered then how our country will progress? But that doesn’t mean women will have everything and men / boys will be deprived of everything.

• Can’t we talk about something else? We can meet somewhere over lunch and discuss these issues.

• Who pays for the lunch? You right

• Haha….why?

• I have stopped being a provider. So if we meet, you pay for the lunch. Taste equal rights..

• I really want to change the topic…plssss.

• Why? Empowerment, equal rights all over?

• See this is March end and I have sales target to meet. I am trying to change the topic for a long time and you are sticking to just one thing.

• I was not even interested in talking to you. You wanted to continue, so I did. Why were you asking my personal information?

• I asked whatever was needed for my insurance products.

• But I told you I am not interested in the beginning itself. You wanted to continue

• See, I am just not able to continue this discussion, you take my personal number, you can call me anytime and we can discuss..

• See madam I don’t want unnecessary stalking case against me. Remember this, don’t only talk about rights. Talk about responsibility too.

• I take a lot of responsibility and after marriage too I will take lot of responsibility.

• That is your wish. No compulsion. Tomorrow you can decide otherwise. If young educated women like you talk only about rights and not responsibility then this country will go for a toss. Boys will stop marrying.

• So you think I will not get married?

• May be..there is a possibility. Boys are not getting married nowadays. Any boy getting married is a criminal in the eyes of law. Tomorrow they will be rapist too under marital rape. And educated women take away their property simply on marriage under IrBM.

• See I am telling you I am not interested in this discussion. You take my number and call me later. I have made this call and we have been talking for more than one hour now..

• Haha..I don’t want your number as I don’t want unnecessary cases. You called me, you wanted to continue now if you want – disconnect. Bye…

• Bye..