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The murder of Radhika Yadav is not just a domestic violence case. It’s a reflection of the deep-seated patriarchal mindset that prevails in our society. Watch the deep analysis by veteran journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash.
Radhika Yadav's case reflects patriarchal mindset
New Delhi: An incident has happened in Gurugram, adjacent to Delhi, which has shaken the whole country. A 25-year-old state-level tennis player Radhika Yadav, was murdered by her own father Deepak Yadav. This heartbreaking incident has not only ruined a family, but has also given rise to serious questions like safety of daughters, freedom of women, family tension and domestic violence in the society.
Senior journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash said in his show 'The MTA Speaks' that this gruesome incident happened in their house located in Sector 57 of Gurugram at around 10:30 am yesterday. Radhika was in the kitchen of her house when her father Deepak Yadav shot her three times. This shooting was done from very close range and the bullets fired from behind penetrated directly into her back. She died on the spot.
This was not an ordinary family. Radhika Yadav was not only a state-level player, but after getting injured in the game, she started a tennis academy to keep her passion alive. She was running this academy for the last few years and it gradually made a name for itself.
Radhika was training the youth and her parents were also seen supporting this initiative at one time. In such a situation, suddenly saying that father Deepak Yadav did not like that his daughter was running the academy against his wishes, the police have given the reason in their preliminary investigation that the father had a problem with the daughter's "freedom" and financial independence. But this argument seems incomplete and superficial.
Radhika's uncle Kuldeep Yadav lodged an FIR soon after the murder and told the police that Radhika was under mental stress for some time, because her father was pressuring her to close the academy. But Radhika was firm on her decision.
This disagreement gradually turned into a deep family tension. The three bullets that Deepak Yadav fired were fired from his licensed .32 bore revolver. It is clear that this was not a sudden outburst but a well-planned murder. The police have taken the accused father into custody and sent him on a one-day remand, and intensive interrogation is going on.
Since the murder, there is silence in the entire Sector 57 area and the local people are both angry and shocked. The gravity of the matter increases further when we try to know whether this murder was only about the running of the academy or if there are deeper socio-psychological reasons behind it. It has been seen many times in society that when daughters become self-reliant, take up the financial responsibilities of the house, or live life on their own terms, they have to face opposition within the family itself.
Why did a father like Deepak Yadav, who once took his daughter to the tennis court, suddenly become hell-bent on ending her life? Can the taunts and pressures of society be so effective that a father starts considering his daughter's earnings an 'insult'?
After Radhika's murder, another aspect came to light in the police investigation - Deepak Yadav often used to say in front of his acquaintances that "People say that I am eating my daughter's earnings." This sentence in itself reveals the bitter truth of society, which is related to men's self-respect and patriarchy.
Radhika's academy was becoming successful, the number of students was increasing, she herself had become an inspiration, but this success had probably started becoming a burden for her father. Radhika's neighbours and acquaintances say that she was a very polite, hardworking and inspiring girl.
Boys and girls got professional tennis training in her academy and she lived in the same house with her parents. No one could have imagined that her father would take her life one day.
This incident is not just a domestic murder. This exposes the deep mindset in which men cannot tolerate the success of women, even if they are from their own family. Such fathers who see their daughter's progress as their failure are unfortunately no less in society.
In Haryana and especially in areas like Gurugram, there has been a tradition of promoting daughters in sports. We have heard many stories of boxers, wrestlers, badminton and tennis players where the family supported the daughter and they reached the international level. But when the same society considers a girl's progress as 'coming out of the shadow of a man', then this support turns into violence.
The National Commission for Women has also taken cognisance of this matter and has sought a detailed report from the Haryana government. The Commission has described it as the 'most severe form of domestic violence' and said that if a complaint had been made earlier regarding Radhika's safety, perhaps her life could have been saved. The Women's Commission has also said that the state government should make arrangements for special psychological support and family counseling for women working in the sports sector.
Radhika's murder case is no longer just a murder case. It is a warning for all those girls who want to be self-dependent, want to take their own decisions, and want to break out of traditional roles. It is also a message for those families who raise the slogan 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' from outside but from inside still have not been able to break the walls of male ego.
After the incident, there has been a sharp reaction on social media regarding this murder. Justice for Radhika is being demanded on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. #JusticeForRadhika hashtag is trending, and people are raising the question whether daughters should be saved and women should be saved.
Celebrities from the entertainment and sports world have also expressed deep grief over this. Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik said, The dream that Radhika saw was shattered by none other than her own father. This is a mirror to our society. The murder of Radhika Yadav is not just the murder of a daughter, it is also the murder of our society's thinking, our upbringing, and our patriarchal structure.
This is the point where every single person must stop and think whether we encourage daughters to move forward or support them only as long as they live on our terms. The responsibility of getting justice for Radhika is now not only of the law but also of the society.
The police should investigate this case deeply and not only punish the accused, but also expose the extent to which the mindset behind this murder was influenced by social pressure and family structure. Until we change the thinking that a daughter's success does not reduce the respect of the father but increases it - daughters like Radhika will remain unsafe in their own home.
We end today's special presentation on The MTA Speaks here. We pay tribute to Radhika And at the same time we promise that we will continue to expose those layers of society where murders are committed not just by bullets but by thoughts.
