Does a change from Geri Route to Azaadi Route bring a difference? Here's what people said.
While language changes a lot about Chandigarh’s famous Geri route, known for stalking, roaming and a place that is listed as one of the most visited places by the youth of the city, is now the Azaadi Route on Google Maps.
Soumya Joshi, one of the fierce voices of the city recited a poem at the march on August 11 last, said, “The name Azaadi Route will give freedom to anyone to walk or drive safely there, and it denotes that there is no place for the ‘geri’ culture now.”
While on the other hand, Gagandeep Kaur, a lawyer by profession said, A change in the name and a change in the reality are two different things, but the bright side is - atleast we are living in a place where men and women are treated equally, a place where people are making efforts to make things better. Women are safer in Chandigarh than any other part of the country.'
While Novelist Amandeep Sandhu, says, “The world is what it is; but the way it makes sense to us is through language. When names start reflecting exclusivity and denoting patriarchy, we need to change them and reclaim the language.”
Tahir Sufi, a professor at CGC Landran said, 'The earlier name represents the acceptability of the system that we can eve tease on this route. Changing name challenges the acceptable notion.' 'It represents the aspiration of the new gen women.' he added.
A city based Baker, Sanchit Malhotra said, 'I Don't think the name will make a difference to the attitude. Infact, the name Geri Route is/was iconic to Chandigarh. Shouldn’t have been changed.'
Storyteller Deeptha Vivekanand was the one who started the movement to review the name on Google through user feedback, she had also started a petition on change.org. “It is but a small victory,” she said after sharing the success on her Facebook profile: “I know that it will take time to change the real mindset behind normalisation of stalking.”
A name or language might not change or lessen the crime against women, however it will bring a crack in the patriarchy; its methods and thoughts. It might not be the end to crime, but it surely is a step towards it.
-Written and edited by Nimrat Kaur for PTC News
