“Listen Draupadi…”: High Court Cites Poem In Woman Paraded Naked Case

The Karnataka High Court today invoked the mythological character Draupadi from the Mahabharata while hearing the case of assault on a woman in Belagavi where the victim was assaulted, paraded naked, and tied to an electric pole after her son eloped with a girl promised to someone else.

The High Court expressed dismay over the incident, stating, “So many bystanders, but nobody did anything. It is collective cowardice that needs to be addressed. The police are not of British Raj.” 

The court highlighted the need for collective responsibility in preventing such atrocities.  The Chief Justice referred to the present era as the “age of Duryodhanas and Dushasanas,” alluding to characters from the Mahabharata who symbolise injustice and malice. The court invoked a powerful poem, urging action: “Listen Draupadi! Pick up your weapons; now Govind will not come.” 

The poem is often used metaphorically to encourage the oppressed to rise and fight for justice. 

Ashok, 24, and Priyanka, 18, belong to the same community and were in love, police said. Around 12:30 pm last Monday, they left the village. Angered by this, Priyanka’s parents and relatives barged into his house, assaulted and dragged her 42-year-old mother out before parading her naked. 

Drawing parallels with historical precedent, the court cited an incident during Former Governor-General of India Lord William Bentinck’s period, where the entire village was made to pay for a crime.

“All village people should be made responsible. Those who serve lip service are not good for us. there is a counter-argument that if I have not done anything why punish me? But being a mute spectator…somebody could have tried to stop that,” the court said. 

The High Court has directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the incident. Considering the trauma she is undergoing, the High Court in an earlier hearing said the continuous stream of people visiting her should be restricted.