DLD‰‰†‰KDLD‰‰†‰DLD‰‰†‰MDLD‰‰†‰C THE TIMES OF INDIA Track record: find your first name THE TIMES OF INDIA Kylie sings a Saturday, initial here December 20, 2003 different tune Corpse on busy road ignored for months This case has a ‘deadly’ tr- in his late 60s — was rem- Page 15 uth. The police in Japan re- oved only after a taxi-driv- veal that a man’s co- er finally alerted the rpse was ignored by authorities. Says a crowds on a busy st- police spokesperson, reet corner for two ‘‘Foul play is not sus- months. The body pected.’’ was found in front of What is foul, how- a department store ever, is the attitude in Osaka. of millions who pas- The corpse —believed to sed by without paying atte- be that of a homeless man ntion to the corpse. OF INDIA WANTED: TENANTS; NOT WANTED: SINGLE, WORKING WOMEN For all the talk of the law and life being equal for both genders, single women in this city are subjected to abject humiliation while embarking on a near-impossible mission to secure suitable accommodation on rent. Delhi Times correspondents ANUBHA SAWHNEY & TUHINA ANAND, posing as single women working at call centres, unearth this harsh fact of life OUR VIEW ‘Shocking’ is, perhaps, the only word which Times News Network after ‘‘checking’’ with his wife, a broker at GK comes closest to describing the experience of HOME TRUTHS II takes one to a debasing encounter. ‘‘Not inte- ■ ‘Single women have to pay double the rent.’ rested,’’ says the landlady.‘‘Don’t you have any a Delhi Times team which took upon itself the ■ ‘Late hours are not acceptable to us.’ male clients?’’ she questions the broker. It’s ba- task of exploring how nightmarish it can be for ■ ‘This is not a commercial area. If you have ck to the autorickshaw.And another snide rem- single, working women in this city to secure male visitors, aap hotel jaiye.’ ark from the driver: ‘‘Yahan nahi milega.’’ This, suitable accommodation. In a day and age wh- Single, working men will never face such respo- in the heart of south Delhi — which supposed- nses while looking for rented accommodation. ly houses a population which is as liberal with en women have broken the glass ceiling and Paradoxically for single, working women, sear- its money as it is with its values. hold their own in all fields of life, it is most un- ching for a room is not only an onerous task, The scene is no different at west Delhi’s Patel fortunate that Delhi continues to discriminate but a frighteningly humiliating experience. De- Nagar.The landlord does a volte-face when told on the basis of gender and marital status. lhi might be governed by a woman CM and be about the single angle: ‘‘Keeping a working wo- The question is: what makes otherwise per- home to countless women who are leading lig- man is too risky.’’ Preet Vihar in east Delhi sees hts in their professions, but the equality which yet another reiteration of the bitter truth. ‘‘Th- fectly capable women a lesser sex that they be the law guarantees to both sexes is rendered a is is a residential area, not a commercial one. If quoted exorbitant amounts as rent, face ‘night farce by the harsh truth of ground reality. you have male visitors, aap hotel jaiye,’’’ says curfew’ if they manage to secure accommod- From the autorickshaw-driver to the proper- the broker. ‘‘We have children. We can’t allow ation and, worse still, be subjected to baseless ty agent to the landlord, there is a human vultu- such people as tenants,’’ says a landlady at Ma- re at every stage of the house-hunting chain, dhuban. A visit to a housing society at Patparg- character assassination just because they are waiting to prove that a woman — no matter who anj leads to a probing question by the landlord: single and employed? It is high time that this or what she is — is the subject of suspicion and ‘‘Why can’t you get home from work early? We 21st century society adopted a liberal mindset. lust. As one heads towards Uday Park, the auto- can’t keep our gate open till so late.’’ Having a roof over one’s head might be a walla offers a suggestive hint. ‘‘Akeli ladki ko Because, only working women — and not basic right, but ‘‘the law can’t force a landlord ghar milna mushkil hai. Main aapko koi jagah men — face a ‘night curfew’. Because, women bataun?’’ The property dealer rules out anythi- NEELABH are treated as a lesser sex. Because, Delhi is yet to let out his premises,’’ points out High Court ng for ‘‘less than Rs 4,500’’ even as his eyes light ud enough: the concession demands ‘favours’. ents.’’ Because, as a single woman, one is supposed to wake up to the fact that a society is only as develo- lawyer Amit Khemka. And this harsh reality is up as if one were just the client he was looking for.‘‘I The ordeal is repeated at Lajpat Nagar I. ‘‘Separ- to have loose morals and let one’s purse-strings loose. ped as its attitude towards women. Because, we co- reiterated by Supreme Court lawyer VK Malik: own a two-room set at Anand Lok for Rs 4,000. Let’s ated,’’ one tells the landlady.‘‘Why?’’ she shoots ba- At South Ex II, the lady of the house has a rider ntinue to propagate this discrimination. Can we aff- ‘‘The Delhi Rent Control Act provides no spe- finalise the deal over tea.’’ The unspoken word is lo- ck. All arguments fall flat as she glares at the brok- for the divorcee (it’s a triple negative: single, worki- ord to? That is the question. [email protected] er for wasting her time. ‘‘Sorry,’’ he offers, ‘‘Single, ng and, to compound matters, divorce): ‘‘I hope the- cial privileges to women tenants.’’ Ironically, it late hours — this is not an acceptable combination.’’ re is no hassle with your former in-laws. Otherwise, is not the law but Delhi’s mindset which sees Only for a woman. At Lajpat Nagar II, the lecherous it will be difficult for us.’’ Not as difficult as battling women being victimised. voice of the property-dealer emphasises, ‘‘Tell the against lewd overtures made to a ‘‘woman in distre- Sorry. Single, male friends, I know landlords who don’t But despite this travesty of natural justice, landlord that your visitor is your brother.’’After all, ss.’’ The broker even has a suggestion: ‘‘I know lan- discrimination against women ruffles no feath- late hours — this is not an men can have girlfriends but the reverse is taboo. dlords who don’t stay on the premises. You can do stay on the premises. You can acceptable combination’ The script gets a slight twist at Lajpat Nagar Cent- whatever you want to.’’ The inference is stark: sing- do whatever you want to’ ers. And this is unfortunate indeed for a cos- mopolitan city which has made infrastructural — Property-dealer at Lajpat Nagar ral Market. A property dealer mentally scans one fr- le women are game for anything. — Property dealer at South Ex om top to toe with an all-knowing look and quotes Defence Colony provides the rare exception. The advances. For, Delhi’s attitude is the only ob- ‘‘Rs 8,000’’ instead of the Rs 4,000 which is the norm- landlord is agreeable ‘‘but no loud partying please.’’ stacle in the path of ‘true’ progress. al rate for a single room. ‘‘You need to make adjustm- But if a landlord at Safdarjung promises to get back SPARE THE ROD,Hollywood falls in love! NIKITA DOVAL Adarsh. Adds distributor San- SAVE THE CHILD Times News Network jay Mehta, ‘‘Love stories such as The Titanic come once in a ALLEN O’BRIEN Delhi School Education Rules, 1973, ove is in the air...atleast in while. To overcome this sho- Times News Network which outlines that corporal punish- Lreel life! Hollywood has lined rtcoming, not only romantic ment may be given by the head of the up a hefty dose of romance for movies but even action films 12-year-old Nitin Rai lost 20 per cent school in specified cases. viewers. If Something’s Gotta are boosted by comedy.’’ vision in his right eye after a teacher But should a teacher have the right Give and Love Don’t Cost A Upcoming films which fit at Preet Public Secondary School, Pr- to get physical? ‘‘Not at all,’’ maintai- Thing have hit theatres, next this category include the Jim eet Vihar, flung a duster at another ns Jyoti Bose, principal, Springdales in line are Fifty First Dates, Carey-starrer Eternal Sunshine boy but shattered his spectacles. School, Dhaula Kuan. ‘‘One has to ma- starring Drew Barrymore Of The Spotless Mind and Ch- Eight-year-old Rohit Kumar Sakpal ke a child realise his or her mistake and Adam Sandler; and the ris Owen’s National Lampoon’s of Sangli, Maharashtra, was beaten through love and understanding.’’ Sa- Jennifer Anniston-Ben Stiller Lady Killers. But the question to death by his head- ys D Virmani, prin- starrer Along Came Polly. is: will viewers fall in love wi- master recently. SCHOOL SCRIPT cipal, Kendriya Vid- ‘‘The world loves lovers, MUSHY MATTERS th movies which have some- Infuriated yalaya, Andr- specially during festive times The box-office is wooed by thing of everything? After all, over his tran- ews Ganj, such as Xmas and the New Ye- an array of romantic movies something’s gotta give! sfer,a teacher ‘‘Corporal pu- ar,’’ says trade analyst Taran [email protected] in Madhya nishment on- Pradesh beat ly instils fear two six-year- in the child.’’ old kids to de- Even Nitin’s ath last Dece- earlier princi- mber 14.