South Central 58: Franco to Rahul Mamkootathil, power rewrites consent

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South Central

South Central 58: Franco to Rahul Mamkootathil, power rewrites consent | Karnataka’s stuck govt

Hosts discuss the intersection of consent, agency and institutional power in sexual assault cases. They also delve into Karnataka’s so-called ‘government on maintenance’ and allegations of the Congress squandering away its power.

By:Dhanya Rajendran & Pooja Prasanna

Date:

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In the first session of the episode, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss the intersection of consent, agency and institutional power in sexual assault cases, like in the cases of Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, acquitted Bishop Franco Mulakkal, ex-BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar and more. The hosts are joined by senior journalist Nidhi Suresh, TNM Associate Editor and gender journalist Sukanya Shaji, and senior journalist Maya Sharma.

Dhanya opens the conversation by noting how many survivors now prefer to settle issues out of court. Pooja says we must break down the concept of consent in relation to sexual agency.

Nidhi says, “This is a constant conversation we have been having since the #metoo movement. The crime happens in intimate spaces and the law mandates evidence, but the woman is often not able to produce it. Not only Sister Ranit, the survivor nun in the Franco case, but also when I went back to Hathras, the Dalit family of the victim said had they known this is how it would be, they would not have pushed the case."

She adds, "The only positive outcome was in the Priya Ramani case, which was a defamation case. Discussing power and consent is also a theme in the Harvey Weinstein case, but it took nearly 99 women to take a stand to bring him down. Here, we are trying to prove the rape happened, despite grave bodily injuries and even death. So I think consent and its nuances seem like a faraway conversation.”

Nidhi also refers to Sister Ranit’s recent television interview, where she says she ideally did not want to complain, but that it was the verdict in the 2017 actor assault case of Kerala that prompted her to reveal her face to the world.

Sukanya, meanwhile, says that consent must be understood as a product of circumstance and power and not an on or off switch. She also remarks that the distortion of consent also comes from a place of wanting to put women in check, with respect to their sexual agency.

“It comes from an inherent, patriarchal desire to police women’s sexual agency. A lot of this distortion of consent is pretence,” she says.

In the second part of the discussion, the hosts and Maya delve into Karnataka’s so-called ‘government on maintenance’ and allegations of the Congress squandering away its power.

Maya Sharma says there is so much discussion about a possible leadership change in the Congress, with Siddaramaiah and DKS pulling back and forth for power. “I also feel too much is being made of this. I don’t think a leadership change is going to change the people’s stance. It is wonderful for the media, but I think it is being played up more than should be. The Congress in Karnataka is definitely not pushing enough. But this is a question of why politicians come into power. Right now, the government seems to feel comfortable in the strength of their numbers and that has made them complacent,” she says.

Pooja recalls how Siddaramaiah has clung to power. “All the things on the agenda have been put aside and they have just held on to staying in power,” she says.

Dhanya says the problem is not him continuing but if he will discontinue and let someone else take over. “Ministers sometimes do not want to take calls. If there is a powerful CM, ministers can just execute it. In another scenario, Siddaramaiah and DKS are very different in terms of leadership, so a lot of speculative lethargy happens because people think "why start something if it is going to change anyway?” she explains.

All this and more.

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Audio Timecodes

00:00:00- Introduction

00:02:27 - Headlines

00:10:40 - Power rewrites consent