But while the home minister, backed by conservative women's organisations, has been busy trying to cleanse the city and save the youth from the corrupting influence of the bar dancers, he was forced to confront a problem in his own backyard. The rape of a middle class teenager by a policeman on duty, in broad daylight, rocked the city. And issues of female sexuality and male sexual arousal once again became political questions.
 

Scantily clad girls are responsible for the increasing rapes in the city, proclaimed the Shiv Sena mouthpiece, Samna. So not only are the lower class bar dancers, but even the scantily clad upper class girls are a corrupting influence on the city's youth! The logic of scantily clad women arousing the sexual lust in men, places all men into the mould of a mindless sexual animal. Various newspaper editorials have commented that while women's organisations were quick in their response, no men's organisation has deemed it necessary to salvage their honour by countering this insult to their sexuality.
 

Is there a connection between the police rape and the bar girls' issue? Was the incident an isolated one, a mere aberration by a depraved mind, as the top brass of the city police would have us believe, or is there a connection between this rape and the moral policing that has been going on in the city for several months? The bar girls have gone to court about a year ago precisely on this point.
 

They have alleged that during a raid, the bar owner is never arrested, but a bar dancer is beaten, her clothes are torn, she is pulled by her hair and breasts, she is taken to the police station, kept overnight in police custody and is subjected to further sexual abuse. Needless to state, the entire machinery from the ACP down to the constable receive their regular haftas from the bar owners and the raids take place only when there is a lapse on the part of a bar owner.

But it is not just the bar dancers but every woman who does not conform, is a potential target. According to the police, women have no right to stroll around leisurely. Women should reach home at a decent hour or else they do not deserve dignity and respect.
 

A woman who went to a railway platform to buy a packet of cigarettes, wearing a Rajasthani embroidered skirt and a T-shirt — unconventional but modest clothes -- was touched by two men in civilian clothes.

When she turned around, they came menacingly close and tried to molest her. When she called out to the police for help, they smirked and replied, "We are the police and we can lock you up for six months." Being a confident middle class woman, she had the audacity to ask for their identity and it was then they thought she had crossed the threshold of endurance. One of them went back a few steps, took position and kicked her on the stomach and socked her on her face. Later she narrated, "When I saw the look in their eyes I ran away. One more minute and they would have raped me, and no one would have uttered a word."

The next day, when the women approached the railway police with a complaint, they tore it up. It was only when the story was flashed on the front page of the Sunday newspapers that the police swung into action. The DIG, Maharashtra, called up and apologised for the incident. The same evening an identification parade was held and by next day the policemen were suspended. But in their defence the police put out the story that the woman was of questionable character as she was buying cigarettes.

At a meeting of women's groups the issue was discussed and the group resolved not to support the woman who goes to the railway station late at night to buy cigarettes. The case was followed up for 10 years and finally resulted in the conviction of the two policemen.

Unless the police top brass changes its attitude towards women and teaches the subordinate staff to respect women, not just the "good" woman but also the scantily clad, the bar dancers, the sex workers and the late night revellers, incidents like the one we have seen during the last fortnight will continue to occur. Most of them do not get reported. But when a case comes to light, it is important that we remember that it is only the tip of the iceberg, writes Flavia Agnes, a lawyer with expertise on gender, human rights and minority concerns. She is also the founder of Majlis, a legal advocacy programme for women based in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre and states to consider making it a rule for every employee to furnish information at the time of his recruitment whether he had taken dowry, if he was married when applying for the job.

This declaration would be on the lines of furnishing the mandatory details about any prosecution ever faced by a person wishing to seek government employment.

“We direct the Union of India and the state governments to consider whether appropriate rules can be framed for compelling males, seeking government employment, to furnish information on whether they had taken dowry and if taken, whether the same has been made over to the wife as contemplated by Section 6 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961,” a Bench of Chief Justice, Mr R.C. Lahoti, Mr Justice G.P. Mathur and Mr Justice P.K. Balasubramanyan said.

The court further said that the government could strengthen the rules under the Act further which required “calling for such information also from those already in employment” stating that it was necessary to “arouse the conscience” of people against the demand and acceptance of the dowry.

The direction came on public interest litigation filed by various organisations and individuals, seeking enforcement of the law strictly.